Jade
by vertrauteaugen
Summary: It's tradition of wizards and witches of pure blood to marry someone chosen for them but Jade never accepted this rule. Since she graduated from Salem she works on her career to be a journalist like Rita Seeker. When her parents sent her to live with her godparents, the Greengras family, Jade not only works for the Daily Prophet but also tries to change Astoria's mind. Astoria/OC
1. Chapter 1

Pure Blood

It was July and somewhere in England Harry Potter was celebrating his birthday. Jade was here to visit friends of her family and got a better job which finally brought her closer to magic again. Working among muggles had been a torture for her. Her family was of pure blood and friends of the Malfoy and Greengrass.

"Jade, have you seen my wand?" Daphne took a look around before Jade closed the door in front of her. Daphne Greengrass had no respect for privacy especially not since she had to give her room to the American girl. Jade was 23 now and the law of noble blood said she had to marry before her 27th birthday. That's why her parents sent her to England and let her godparents choose a suitable match for her.

Jade wasn't pleased to be getting married and already missed her home in America. The witch never went to Hogwarts neither had often seen any British friends of her family apart from celebrations in summer which were not much. It changed when she left Salem Institute and joined the annual Halloween parties families of noble blood spent together.

It was Jade's favourite time of year and only two weeks after her birthday. This Halloween she would spent with Daphne's parents, the Malfoy's and other British families. Jade was not really looking forward to it but was interrupted in her thoughts when Daphne's little sister opened the door. "Astoria?"

"I'm sorry, Jade. I don't want to bother you but this package arrived for you" Astoria held the package close to her chest before she hand it to Jade. Her eyes shine brighter and she knew what her parents had sent her. "Finally, my gobstones"

"What is this, Jade?" Astoria looked interested and watched Jade unwrapping her package. Astoria had seen gobstones before but those were usually black or white. "I didn't know there are golden gobstones and that you... you play?"

"No, I don't play with my gobstones. In Salem we learnt about their magic. Hogwarts isn't teaching you anything, is it?" Jade put her golden stones in front of her window and nodded happily.

"Jade, would you teach me about their magic?" Astoria was a nice girl but Jade could see she was fascinated by anything Jade mentioned as related to Salem. "Yes, but not today. It was a long journey with all the muggle traffic. Why do your parents have a car? They don't want to mix our blood with anyone unworthy, do they?"

"No" Astoria shook her head. "There are rumours the Dark Lord is back and everybody is scared. This is probably the worst time your parents could have sent you here for marriage. You never know if your future husband will be supporter of him or Harry Potter. That's why most try to make no decision and wait until later"

"This is the worst thing anyone can do. We all have to choose a side even I know how to choose and a few weeks ago I didn't even know I had to make a choice" Jade didn't tell Astoria who she supported and the younger girl didn't ask. In a few months Astoria had to go back to Hogwarts like her older sister Daphne who would return for her final year. Jade would be alone with their parents but hoped to be working most of the times.

The Daily Prophet laid on her bed which she had not finished reading yet. A few months after school Jade had started an apprenticeship for the newspaper and after one year worked for it as reporter in America. Moving to England and being friend of well known pure blood families she had got a better job and finally she was free of hiding herself among muggles. Jade finally had an office and was writing articles other reporters researched for her.

Jade would only interview wizards and left the scum behind her.

"How many years of Hogwarts do you still have to go through?" Jade looked over her shoulder to Astoria who looked pretty in black. "Three more years. My parents said my marriage is already arranged and I won't wait long after school"

"Don't you want a job and your freedom?" Jade was shocked by Astoria's answer and hoped the girl used her last three years to change her opinion.

Harry, Hermione and Ron planned their escape every day. Today on Harry's birthday she didn't stop working on their plan but had to be very secretive about it. Hermine's bag was stuffed with books and everything she thought useful.

Ron read the Daily Prophet in case they spoke of any more dead but most times they were informed through bewitched radios and not the Prophet's lies about Harry and the Dark Lord. Since Dumbledore's death Harry was almost an outcast and so he often sat quiet by the window and thought about what to do.

"What if you die when you follow me?" Harry was worried for his friends but both Hermione and Ron knew what they were risking. Neither of them answered Harry and instead they went downstairs to Harry's party.

It was only a small group and a cake. Harry had to say some words on his 17th birthday and raised his glass to heroes. "I'm just a boy... and I'm scared what will come. He is back and he killed so many of us. Frank and Alice Longbottom, my parents, Sirius and his brother, Dumbledore and Mad-Eye... and Cedric and Hedwig... Don't let us forget them. We won't let them die for nothing"

Harry's words upset everybody and Hermione and Ron were worried for their best friend. What if Harry was not ready to do whatever was necessary?

Jade and Astoria went downstairs for dinner. On the way Jade stopped the younger girl and pointed to the hall. Misses Greengrass was talking to a shady man who gave her something. Jade noticed a letter which Astoria's mother quickly put away.

Jade was already interested to read this special letter and smiled when the man left. He didn't look like any pure blood she knew from America. His clothes were old and dirty. His hair wasn't brushed and his stubble made him look ugly.

"Who was this?" Jade asked Astoria who didn't know the man and followed Jade to the dining room. "You don't think that's your future husband, do you? You can't marry him. He is old and looked... disgusting"

"Don't worry, Astoria. I won't marry anyone I don't approve... if I ever marry" Jade whispered to Astoria while Daphne watched the two of them. "We don't whisper"

"And we are not clumsy and forget where we put our wand" Jade grinned and liked to tease Daphne who looked angry.

This night Hermione and Ron didn't sleep. They knew they weren't the only ones who worried about Harry. He was the Chosen One and everybody who was scared of Lord Voldemort believed in Harry. No one wanted to see him cry or be scared himself.

"We have go. Now" Hermione grabbed her bag and pulled Ron to grab anything else they had prepared. Harry's and Ron's backpack and of course Harry himself. Next they had to escape Ron's mother and sneaked outside the house. They ran towards the barrier and made a noise passing it. The house was awake and Mrs Weasley screamed they were attacked but instead the three friends stood close to each other and when Ron let his Deluminator click they all disappeared.

A letter arrived at Greengrass and called Jade to London. It was an urgent note saying Harry Potter had disappeared. Jade grinned and ran upstairs to grab her broom.

Finally it was her time to write the article of her life – to hell with marriage law.


	2. Chapter 2

2\. Summertime Sadness

August was a hot month and there was no sign of Harry Potter and his friends. No one was sure were to find them but many believed they had seen him and gave false statements. Jade had to value them all. Of course she could sit in her office but it wasn't feeling right yet. The Greengrass family was looking for a husband for her and it was best to spend as much time away as possible.

Astoria was her little spy who wrote notes and brought them to Jade's room at night. Jade didn't like any of the choices Astoria's family had made so far. It had to be an older man who was loyal to their friends. The Greengass' wanted someone with potential while Jade rolled her eyes. "I don't want anyone of these boring men"

"But you have to marry someone... it would be easier if my parents know what kind of men you want. Tell me and I will tell them then they will make better choices" Astoria still believed in arranged marriage and pure blood laws which made Jade shook her head. "What I want... they don't care about it. When you marry no one will care about your wishes. If you want something you have to get it yourself"

"Is this why you are always away? Are you looking for a husband?"

"No, I don't even like men" Jade smirked and saw Astoria got pale. The girl didn't seem to have much experience with her own possibilities. She had still time to explore but she had to start soon or there won't be enough time. "Hogwarts has too many rules for no contact between students... In Salem it's the same but we are braver and break those rules"

"You mean... you had..."

Every day a new place to hide. Hermione didn't know how to cope with this but she didn't let Harry see how worried she was. In the few hours he slept she sat outside the tent with Ron who brought her tea.

"Do you think we have any chances to win this war?"

"I don't know but we need a place we can stay for longer. We can't always hide in London and other villages. Has the Order left Grimmauld Place yet? Do you think it's safe there?" Hermione heard a noise. It was a cat but she was still frightened. "I can't hide in the streets anymore. Anyone can find us here"

"You are right. I wake up Harry" Ron went back inside and woke his best friend. With her wand and casting spells their little hideout was soon in Hermione's bag and Ron's Deluminator brought them inside of Grimmauld Place 12.

Harry was not able to move. Tired and scared he fell asleep on the couch and had nightmares while Hermione and Ron take a look around. They took portraits off the walls and stayed the rest of the night close to Harry reading books or play with their little toy.

The next morning Astoria walked up and down the hallway in front of Jade's room. Daphne watched her from around the corner until she cleared her throat. "What are you doing there?"

"I'm waiting until Jade is awake. I have to show her something" Astoria didn't want her sister to see the morning newspaper and Astoria's handwritten note. The younger sister even pointed her wand at Daphne when Jade finally opened the door and asked her to come inside.

"Thank you. Daphne is... I think she is jealous since you are here" Astoria grinned and spread newspaper and notes on Jade's bed. The older American always made her bed herself and her room looked tidy. Astoria never saw this place like this when it was still Daphne's room.

"I thought she is always jealous because you are the prettier sister" Before Jade took a look at what Astoria brought her today she was busy picking her stones and take two to her bed as well. One she laid in Astoria's hand while she kept holding the other. "Okay, what did you bring me?"

"I read the Daily Prophet again last night and I think I found something that helps your article but... first I have to know on which side you are? Harry Potter or he who must not be named? And then mother told me about a new potiental husband... I don't think he has much to offer but I have a feeling you like someone outside the law" Astoria smiled and was proud of her achievement. A sudden headache made her forget about her hesitation and she showed Jade what she found in a small announcement. "It's on the page lost and found. What if Potter's friends use a code and we could unlock it?"

The girl was clever and Jade nodded. "It's a good idea you work on that. I have to investigate more sightings today and... keep the gobstone for now"

"Oh, really? Thank you Jade" A happy girl pressed her new toy against her chest and looked to her friend. "You still haven't told me what magic it has"

"Oh, but it's already doing its magic" Jade grinned and rubbed her own gobstone between both her hands. "Now tell me about this man your mother wants me to marry"

"I don't think she is serious about it. His name is Scabior and he... he hunts half and mud-bloods"

Ron read the latest Daily Prophet while Harry wasn't hungry – again. Hermione and Ron were worried since he had not eaten anything for three days. Grimmauldplace seemed to change good memories and let Harry go through hell. He was barely moving and didn't sleep.

Hermione had dragged him to the bathroom yesterday and felt more like a mother than a friend. "Harry, we can't do this without you. We have to start working on our plan. We have to do anything we can to stop the Dark Lord. You are the Chosen One. You are the only one who can do it"

No answer.

Harry wasn't speaking since they came here. Hermione knew they had to stop this and even she didn't want to she finally slapped Harry. The noise made Ron look up and he was in shock just like Harry. "Why did you do this?"

"He has to wake up or more of us will die every day"

"They die, no matter what I do or don't" Harry finally spoke and stood up to leave the kitchen. Hermione's plan didn't work as well as she hoped for but at least Harry showed he was alive.

"Well, this Scabior doesn't sound as boring as all the others your mother wanted me to meet. Maybe I should agree to a meeting this time... Tell her to make an arrangement but my work comes first" Jade took her wand and tipped on her gobstone with it.

Astoria fell backwards onto Jade's bed and fell asleep right away.

Indeed... it was already doing its magic.


	3. Chapter 3

3\. Salem

On the first day of September Astoria had to go back to Hogwarts. Jade let her keep her golden gobstone and the younger Greengrass sister wasn't scared. Daphne was nervous all morning and didn't shut up until they arrived at Hogwarts. Astoria didn't listen much and went to one of the tables where she sat next to Draco Malfoy. "Can I ask you something?"

"Hmm"

"You know we will marry in some years and... your father fights on the side of the Dark Lord. What about you? I like to know on which side I will be" Astoria saw other heads turning towards them while Draco refused to answer and waited for the new headmaster's speech. Severus Snape wasn't a man of many words and let the students leave early.

Astoria watched many of her classmates leave the Great Hall while she held Draco's hand and didn't let him go. She wanted her answer and could feel how cold his skin was. Draco must be scared if he didn't try to escape. He waited with her until they were alone. "Why do you talk to me now? You never talked to me"

"I think it's important I know this. Friends of my parents sent her daughter to us. My parents will find a suitable husband for Jade but she doesn't want anyone. She won't say yes because she has to. Jade knows what she wants and I want it too. I want to take own decisions even when we are married"

"Decide what you want" Draco's answer surprised her. He didn't even try to fight her. Draco was weak and Astoria didn't like this about him. All the years in Hogwarts she had thought he is a feisty boy who makes his own rules but now he was a coward who didn't want to choose a side.

"Fine" Astoria walked away and couldn't wait to write Jade how angry she was in this moment.

Jade's dark hair was almost black. She looked at Scabior who had agreed to meet her at Malfoy Manor. The Malfoys and Greengrass' watched them from afar while Bellatrix Lestrange walked around them and didn't care about whether she was wanted or not.

Jade was amused by the older witch while her maybe future-husband was not very impressive. Scabior looked like a street rat and had not even brushed his teeth this morning. His wand in his hand he looked prepared in case she attacked him which Jade had no intention to.

"They say you are a Salem witch"

"Yes, and a proud one" Jade noticed Bellatrix frowned and looked suspicious. "Are Salem witchs not welcomed in Britain anymore? We practise magic like you do but we do more experiments and new ways to use our magic"

Jade dropped a bean on the floor and a dirty orange plant grew from it towards Scabior. Flowers in all colours grew and created a smell which Jade didn't like. "This marriage is cancelled. If I marry I want a man who respects me and not this dirtbag who stinks like garbage"

Hermione had worked out a list of places with Harry where they could start looking for Voldemort's soul pieces. On the list were the houses of known supporters of the Dark Lord and it won't be easy to sneak in. They had no idea how these special pieces looked like and how to destroy them. Hermione was reading her books every night but there was no information to help them. "All I read about is Salem, a wizard school in America. They create soul pieces and detection for it with a special magic but there is no word about how they do it"

"Salem? Where they burned witches?"

"Yes" Hermione nodded and put a heavy book back into her small bag. It was Ron's turn to get the Daily Prophet from unknown wizard and when he came back he had news. "Hey, remember we know how one piece look like? The necklace... here, it's on the picture"

Harry read the article before he found another one that interested him. Somebody called Jade was still writing daily articles about where she was looking for Harry Potter and his friends. Every article ended with her question of help to find the boy who lived. "This Jade could get us in trouble. What if she really finds us?"

"She is always looking at the wrong places" Hermione knew this wasn't exactly true. Jade was good detecting houses of Harry's friends and supporters. One of her articles was a long interview with Xenophilius Lovegood who used his Quibbler to publish information for Harry's supporters. Jade had even detected Hermione's parents and interrogated the Weasley family. "What is her newest article about?"

"About my parents..."

Hermione and Ron looked to Harry who was pale before he tossed the newspaper away. "I can't stand this woman anymore. Hermione, do we know anyone who went to Salem? If not, then let's get this necklace and let's go somewhere were Jade will never start looking for us"

Astoria spent her free hours in the libery away from Daphne, Draco and most of the other students. First she read books for class or hid in a corner to admire Jade's gobstone but today she wanted to know more about it. The young Greengrass started looking for books about gobstones but all were about how to play gobstones matches.

She still thought about it when she had to go to class and passed the forbidden section of the libery. One of the books was moving and Astoria could read the name on the back of it since it had golden glowing letters.

Salem – Magical Institute and new experiment on old-fashioned traditions

During day Jade worked on her articles and researches. Her publisher was pleased with her since her writing helped to prove Harry Potter was the enemy. She was allowed to choose her interview partners herself and went through a list of missing students this week.

Some of the half-bloods and muggle-born didn't return this year. The pure-blood students were mostly on their own which made Jade smile. She didn't have to meet any new maybe husband for the rest of the week but through an arrangement with Bellatrix Lestrange Scabior delivered an updated list of missing people and caught runaways every morning before her shift started.

The nights Jade spent reading Astoria's letters. The girl sent one every week and had now decided to learn more about gobstones and Salem. "Eager to learn" Jade grinned and looked over to her own golden gobstones.

All of them were glowing bright tonight and Jade was more than pleased to see her plan worked.  
"A soul only speaks the truth... good night, Astoria"


	4. Chapter 4

4\. Birthday

In October Jade didn't spend time to prepare anything for her birthday. She wasn't interested in the deaths of Rufus Scrimgeour or Master Gregorowitsch. Her publisher urged her to write about Harry Potter's appearance in London but Jade had something else that interested her more. It was the research of Harry Potter's parents. No one was allowed to enter their house and no one spoke about them other than their sacrifice. Jade couldn't stop thinking of her suspicion this couple must have secrets like every wizard had.

After she examined the Dursley house in Little Whining this thought only grew. It was too clean, too tidy for somebody who left in a hurry. Her suspicion got the interest of someone else and on her birthday it was Rita Seeker who knocked on her door and stepped in with a small piece of birthday cake. "Happy Birthday, Jade"

"Rita, is it?"

"Oh yes, Jade. I read your articles and I love them. You remind me of yourself and I couldn't stop thinking my new favorite girl needs a little help" Rita closed the door and put the cake and a present on Jade's desk. "It's one of my special feathers. It reads your mind and you don't have to bother writing anymore. It helps a lot"

Harry, Hermione and Ron had left Grimmauld place after they broke into Umbridge's office in London. Ron was injured and Hermione helped him with casting spells while Harry read some stolen files. Lists of missing wizards and paid catchers had been on Umbridge's cast. Reports from men called Fenrir and Scabior were sent to Umbridge and Jade from Bellatrix Lestrange.

Harry was disgusted by it and stepped out of the tent to his friends. "We have to find Scabior and stop him. Our friends are on the run and get caught because of me"

"And how do we find him?"

"The files say were was his last patrol. If we are lucky he is still there" Harry tipped on the files and his friends agreed. Withone spell their tent disappeared into Hermione's bag and the friends were ready to go. Using Ron's deluminator they found themselves in a forest where several hands grabbed them and pulled them to the ground.

It took Astoria weeks to get Professor Sprout's agreement to read a book from the Forbidden Library. Herbology was Astoria's best subject and Professor Sprout believed her student wanted to read more about plants they won't examine in school. Of course Astoria wanted to read a different book and grabbed the book with golden letters once she was inside the Forbidden section.

Salem - Magical Institute and new experiment on old-fashioned traditions

Astoria spent hours reading it and was excited to know more about Jade's school life. In Salem Jade studied 7 years like Hogwart students do. Arithmancy, Astronomy and Flying were main classes unlike in Hogwarts were they were only minor subjects.

In Salem all students played gobstone matches and it was their favorite sport even the sorting was done with gobstones. Astoria read that every student got one stone for every year in Salem. Jade must have had 7 stones and one she gave to Astoria. She pressed her stone close to her heart when she turned the page and found an entire chapter about gobstone magic. "Finally"

"Thank you, Rita. I hope you liked my new article" Jade handed Rita the first draft of an article about the Dursley's which Rita read in no time. "You write very eagerly, Jade, I like this. Tell me, have you any idea where Harry Potter is or has my new favorite another story she is working on?"

"I could actually need your help. I have information about a couple in London and Harry Potter was seen entering her house the night Alastor Moody died. Her name is Andromeda Tonks and she was a friend of James and Lily Potter. If I speak to her I'm sure I get closer to the secret the Potter's had" Jade's eyes were glowing and Rita liked this. "Jade, my girl, I help you to get this interview. Come, let's go right now"

"Hey!" Hermione was the first to free herself and pointed her wand at Dean Thomas. She was surprised to see him but happy to know her classmate was alive. "Dean! We thought Scabior already found you"

"No, this man was after us but we didn't want to get caught and... we know Harry would come for this" Dean nodded to a small group of other Hogwarts students who led Harry to a frozen lake. Harry didn't know what he should see but Ron noticed something under the ice and broke the ice to grab it.

"The sword of Godric Gryffindor?" Harry grabbed it and for the first time in months he felt something like hope. "You all step back. Ron and I have to destroy something" Harry gave the sword back to Ron before he found a spot on the ground to place the necklace they stole from Umbridge. Ron didn't wait and destroyed the piece with the sword and the dark magic left.

"What was this?"

"This was a piece of the Dark Lord's soul. We have to find all pieces and destroy them. It's the only way to kill him. Dumbledore told me about it before he died but we have no idea where the other pieces are" Harry watched Ron who put the sword in Hermione's bag before his eyes turned back to Dean who agreed to help them. "We will tell the others about this, Harry. They will sent messages to all your supporters and we find these pieces for you"

Harry nodded before a girl in the group interrupted them. Hannah Abbott looked sick and her voice was weak. "This sounds like gobstone magic"

"What is gobstone magic" Hermione was surprised Hannah knew something she had never heard about herself. When she gave Hannah a salve for her chest her classmate tried to explain what she knew the best way she could. "My mother told me about an aunt we have in America. She is a student of Salem and my mother refused to have any contact with her. In Salem they use other magic like we do. They are the only ones who use gobstone magic. They put a piece of their soul in a gobstone and then they can use it to read somebody's honesty. They can even make others do something they don't want to do if they have a piece of their soul"

"This must be what the books mentioned" Hermione and her friends decided to stay away from gobstones when Dean had more information. "Gobstone magic is forbidden in Britain, isn't it? Not even the supporters of the Dark Lord would use it because Salem witches are not welcomed not even in their pure-blood societies. They are feared"

"I don't know. This was before HE came back. Maybe they even ask Salem witches for help now" Ron didn't want to stay for longer but Hermione and Harry agreed to stay one night with their friends and let them sit by the fire in their invisible tent.

Rita convinced Andromeda to let them in. On the walls were pictures of her daughter and old friends like Remus Lupin and the Potter's. Jade didn't follow Rita and Andromeda right away instead she took a gobstone from her pocket and touched on of the pictures. The moving image frozen and Lily disappeared. Another woman got James' attention and Jade had the headline for her next article.

"Miss Tonks, who is Harry Potter's mother? His real mother?"

In Hogwarts Astoria looked at her gobstone and had only one question: Had Jade took a piece of her soul?


	5. Chapter 5

5\. November Rain

Jade's second birthday on Halloween wasn't as interesting as she hoped for. Celebrating with the families Greengrass and Malfoy let her be sure her parents had not sent her to the friends with most influence. The Dark Lord's return had stripped off their bravery and power. Jade was surrounded by cowards but at least they gave her freedom and didn't do much to find her a husband. Jade had a feeling she was finally allowed to find one herself while she was concerned her little friend wasn't writing anymore.

Astoria didn't even send her a birthday card and the last letter had been a month ago. Jade didn't write back just yet instead she read about Andromeda Tonks' death which Jade was sure of was a suicide to keep her secret.

Jade's article had been published this morning and Bellatrix Lestrange herself stormed into her office. "This is not true! How dare you? Lily Potter died for her son and this magic caused the Dark Lord's downfall... but never again!"

"Lily adopted Harry and has sworn to protect him with her life but it's true. Harry Potter is not Lily's son and I will prove it" Jade leaned over her desk and grinned.

"Why do you spend time with us again? I thought we are not good enough for you" Daphne eyed her younger sister. The younger blonde girl was playing with her gobstone and didn't say anything. Her wish to learn more about gobstones and Salem Institute was gone and instead she waited for Christmas holidays to accuse Jade to find out the truth.

None of this she told her sister and instead she quickly put away her stone before any teacher saw it.

It was cold in November and Harry and his friends didn't have any news from Dean or any other. They had lost their sense for time and travelled to wherever they could think of. It was not much they could do and they barely had enough food left.

Ron suggested to visit his family to get news and food for them and left for days. Hermione and Harry grew worried and afraid in his absense but they were not prepared for the news Ron brought when he came back. "Harry! Jade did it again! She wrote an article about your family! My mother cried over it and I... Harry, you have to read it!"

Jade looked around and wasn't much impressed by Hogwarts. It looked exactly like she had expected it. An old castle somewhere in nowhere. Jade had gotten an appointment with Severus Snape for an interview about her article and the fact she could give inside news on Rita's book about the life of Albus Dumbledore.

Professor Snape seemed interested and Jade was welcomed by Professor Trelawney who was a scared woman who didn't speak or look at Jade.

The headmaster's office was in a tower and Snape was already waiting for her. He offered her a seat and sent Professor Trelawney back to her class. Next he offered Jade sweets which she denied. "Which topic do you want to talk about first?"

"How about your gobstone magic?"

"What?" Jade was confused and didn't know how he could possible know about it. The first time in Britain she was speechless and let him talk. "Astoria Greengrass read a book about Salem and she always in seen playing with a golden gobstone. I asked her sister Daphne about this behavior and she told me about you"

"Of course she did"

"Misses Greengrass is a Hogwarts student and we don't mix Hogwarts and Salem magic. I want to know if her soul is still in one piece or if you did anything" Severus Snape spoke calmly and didn't seem to have any intention to talk about Harry Potter or Albus Dumbledore. This man had tricked her and Jade didn't like this. "I didn't harm Astoria. She is a good girl. A bit naive but she will grow out of it"

"I give you an advice, Misses. You will take your magical stone back and whatever you did to Misses Greengrass you will undo it" Professor Snape had nothing more to say and Jade left angry. She walked downstairs to the Great Hall where she waited for the students to leave their classes.

Astoria was allowed to leave early today. Professor Sprout told her somebody was waiting for her and she thought it was her mother but instead she saw Jade waiting for her and walked slowly closer before Jade grabbed her hand and led her out of the castle. "You know what Professor Snape thinks I did to you? Now give me my gobstone"

"I didn't talk to Professor Snape"

"No, but your sister did" Jade was still angry when Astoria returned the gobstone. The eyes of the blonde girl were filled with tears and Jade even felt a little sad for her. The golden stone lost it's shine in Jade's hand and changed to white. Astoria watched it and touched it in Jade's hand which made it turn gold again. "What just happened?"

"In Salem we have to return our stones before the final exams. It's not allowed to use them during the exams and... not all Salem witches learn how to use gobstone magic themselves. Only the best"

"You were one of the best wishes of your year?" Astoria's sadness was gone. She noticed it was raining all around them but Jade and Astoria didn't get wet. "Jade?"

"I did my NEWT's in four subjects and yes, I learned how to use gobstone magic. It's a special one year class outside the school. Astoria, I didn't take your soul. You had a piece of me with you" Jade wanted to put her gobstone back in her pocket but Astoria stopped her. "If it doesn't has a piece of my soul I want to keep it. Please Jade. Daphne won't see it again and won't tell anybody"

"You are a good girl" Jade ran her hand through Astoria's hair and the gobstone shine brighter. Astoria loved the golden colour and quickly put the stone in her pocket. "Why did you give me a piece of your soul?"

"I wanted to know if you are honest. Soul pieces know if you are honest or not and... I felt like you needed it and start asking questions before you turn into a coward like the rest of your family"Jade and Astoria felt the rain on them and the younger girl took Jade's hand to run back to the school with her. The rain had wet their clothes but Astoria didn't mind. She laughed and hugged Jade. "You are right, I don't know if I want to Draco anymore. He has no opinion on anything. He is a coward like so many of my classmates"

"You won't be a coward anymore. When you come home for Christmas we talk more about it. I have to go now and work on my article" Jade grinned when she left Astoria. The girl was still naive but she would be of use.

Ron didn't stop forcing Harry to read the article about Andromeda Tonks' secret until Hermione took the newspaper and read Jade's article out loud. "Harry Potter, to some still a hero, is boy who has grown up with lies. It seems to me his friends like Albus Dumbledore have brainwashed him so long until he finally accepted to be their willing puppy who would die for their lies. It all started with Lily Potter's spell of erasing Harry's real mother from his memories and it's time to tell the truth. Who is the mysterious woman that has been hidden from him?"

A picture of a muggle that didn't moved was in the middle of the article. Harry recognized her but didn't say a word instead he listened until Hermione had finished the article. "Harry Potter isn't the pure-blood good boy but in fact a half-blood that was raised a victim"

"Harry?" Ron stood next to Harry who shook his head. "This is not true. It can't be"


	6. Chapter 6

6\. Christmas

Most of December is silent and Harry and his friends didn't find any more evidences. Since they can't go back to the Weasley family to celebrate Christmas Harry decides to visit the graves of his parents. He still doesn't want to believe any word of Jade's article. Lily was his mother and Harry didn't accept any other.

"I'm worried for him" Ron watched Harry walking to his parents' gravestones. Hermione and Ron watched Harry from afar and made sure no one noticed them. "It must have confused him to read the article. What do you think of it? Is it true or is Jade like Rita Seeker and we can't true one word she writes?"

"I don't like what she writes but... the other articles were all true. Why should she lie now?" Hermione nodded to Ron's words and saw somebody getting closer. "We have to leave. Now"

Jade had got a necklace for Astoria and got the book about Albus Dumbledore in return. "I thought you like how Rita writes" Astoria loved her necklace and felt stupid she had bought a book for Jade. The two of them exchanged presents in Jade's room and didn't joined the rest of the Greengrass family.

"I talked to Draco again and I don't want to marry him anymore. He is a coward. His family has no influence anymore and I have no idea what he thinks about... anything" Astoria went to Jade's window and put her gobstone between Jade's. All of them started to glow brighter and Astoria smiled like it was her first happy Christmas.

"Rita told me about the book. Your former headmaster had a sister who was the family's secret and died very young. Her name was Ariana and her death is the reason why Albus and his brother don't talk to each other anymore. If I wasn't researching my own story it would be a great idea to interview Aberforth Dumbledore but... I doubt he knows anything about Harry Potter's real mother"

"Who is his mother? You wrote she is a muggle but you didn't write her name" Astoria read all of Jade's articles and she believed every word. "Will you tell me or is it a secret?"

"Her name is Petunia"

"Who have we here? Catch them!" A voice in the dark made the friends step closer together. Ron's Delumintor brought them to a different place but they didn't feel safe. Somebody had expected them and they weren't sure if this somebody didn't follow them.

"Petunia Dursley was Lily's sister. I don't know if James Potter loved her or if Harry is the child of an affair but I will find out about it" Jade and Astoria ate a few sweets on Jade's bed and Astoria watched Jade take a gobstone from her pocket which she tipped with her wand.

Suddenly all gobstones started to flicker and glow at different times. Astoria didn't understand it but Jade smiled. "They play a song now"

"I don't hear it"

"No, you can't hear it. You can only see it. It's the song of my heart and no Christmas song" Jade hummed a melody and Astoria liked it. She started humming it to and fell asleep.

"Do you think these were snatcher? Scabior and the others who work for Bellatrix Lestrange and Umbridge?" Ron couldn't stop looking around. He was nervous and tripped over his own feet. Landing on the ground he heard a noise.

"Ron, where are we?" Hermione saw the house first. It was not far and too small for a simple house. The friends were looking at a mansion and somebody was walking closer. Hermione and Harry hoped Ron clicked his deluminator soon but the tiny toy was somewhere lost on the ground. When he finally grabbed it he looked up at Draco Malfoy.

Jade wrapped Astoria in her blanket before she walked over to her gobstones. She still hummed her melody and let her stones fly after she tipped on it with her wand. Her gobstones flew to her bed and landed beside Astoria.

"Know no secret, speak no lies" Jade's voice turned her gobstones white for a moment. She walked back to Astoria and let all her gobstones land in her own hand again where they were golden again. "Thank you, little girl. It's easy to have such a willing host"

Jade ran her hand through Astoria's blonde hair which had a golden shimmer.

"What are you doing here?" Draco was as confused as Harry and his friends and looked back to the house. "If Bellatrix or any other finds you here they will kill you. Go. Go quickly"

"You help us?" Ron was still on the ground when Draco helped him stand up. "The Dark Lord has nothing but punishment for my family. He threatened to kill my father" Draco was crying and truly scared when he fell in the arms of the nearest person. Ron was in shock when it happened and had no idea what Draco was up to. He didn't feel comfortable while Malfoy hugged him but when he felt Draco's tears on his neck he hugged him back for a moment. "We... I mean I panicked when I saw somebody trying to catch us. I must have been scared it's one of Bellatrix' men"

"Great, and next time you make us appear in front of her?" Harry was angry but kept his voice low. He pushed Draco away from his best friend and dragged Ron backwards. "We have to go"

"You are not here to save the girl?"

"Who?" Hermione stopped her friends and looked at Draco who took a deep breath. "Bellatrix was angry about Xenophilius Lovegood and the Quibbler. He used his stupid newspaper to send messages to others fighting for Harry Potter. When me mentioned magical objects and Salem magic Bellatrix sent the snatchers and they kidnapped his daughter Luna. She is in our dungeons"

"Harry, we can't leave her here" Hermione looked at Harry who wasn't happy about their unplanned stay but with Draco's help they sneaked in and hid in the dungeon healing Luna's injuries and waiting for a safe time to leave.

It was in the middle of the night that Jade was woken up. Scabior stood by her bed with a bright smile. "We have him. Bellatrix sent me to take you to him. Some questions have to be answered before the Dark Lord will have him"

"Potter?"

Scabior nodded and Jade quickly grabbed two stones and her wand. She was still dressed and hurried with Scabior outside where brooms were waiting for them to go to Malfoy Manor and find Harry Potter who was threatened by Bellatrix herself. "Step away from him! He is mine now" Jade grinned and slapped Harry's face before she grabbed his chin and grin. "Harry Potter... so we finally met"


	7. Chapter 7

7\. Interrogation

When Harry was finally brought back to the dungeons he looked weak. He was injured and had cried. Tears were still running down his face and he was shaking. The Malfoys followed him and Draco helped Harry to his friends. "Bellatrix tortured him and Jade... Jade did something worse"

"What could be worse?" Ron looked at Draco who took a picture from Harry's hand. After he gave it to Ron he walked back to his parents who sat in a corner of the dungeons in their own home. Ron and Hermione felt a bit sorry for them but even more for Harry after they looked at the picture of James and Petunia.

"She said... she..." Harry couldn't speak and Hermione looked over her shoulder to Draco. He swallowed before he could say anything. "Jade told him who his mother is. Because he had magic Lily took him... Jade said something of a spell that bound Lily to Harry and his real mother... she maybe doesn't even know he exists..."

"She does... I saw her some years ago. It was dark but it was her" Ron told them how the Dursley's had treated Harry. A mother wouldn't treat her son like this and so it must be true that Petunia Dursley had no idea who Harry really was. "What will they do now?"

"Bellatrix wants to kill them"

Jade watched Bellatrix giving orders to send her sister away and call the Dark Lord. Scabior and his snatchers were sent to kill the Dursley's which Jade didn't like. Her story was not known in all details and he wanted to talk to Petunia herself.

While Bellatrix was playing with a sword and yelled at everybody around her Jade played with her gobstones in her pocket and went downstairs unnoticed by everyone else. With her wand she opened the gate to the dungeons and closed it behind her. "You all be quiet. The Dark Lord will be here every moment"

"What?" Harry froze looking at Jade who walked closer to him and put one gobstone in his hand. Harry dropped it and felt her hand slapping his face again. "I wasn't finished boy. You give me what I want to hear and I tell you what Bellatrix is screaming about. A piece of soul... I don't think Bellatrix has ever used Salem magic"

"She knows where..." Hermione stopped and let Jade put her gobstone in Harry's hand. After the golden shine disappeared she took it back and nodded to Hermione. "Bellatrix is angry that somebody could have entered her vault. Something must be hidden there... and something is hidden inside him" Jade walked back to the dungeons gate and left while Hermione gathered all of them together. A noise upstairs worried them and the voice of the Dark Lord echoed through the halls.

"Ron, quick!" Hermione urged her friend to use his deluminator when they suddenly heard a pop. Two house elves had come to rescue them and disappeared the moment the gate exploded.

Astoria felt dizzy when she woke up. Jade was nowhere to see and Daphne barged into the room. "This stupid witch! And you! What are you thinking? You spent two days in here and... oh, get up Astoria. You help me tidy up now"

Astoria didn't understand anything but followed her sister. Together they tidied up the living room and the kitchen. Daphne even let Astoria tidy up Daphne's room before the younger Greengrass fell in her own bed and didn't know what to feel.

"Dobby! Kreacher! This was brilliant! Exactly the right moment and..." Ron's joy faded seeing Hermione's concerned look. Dobby and Kreacher had stood closest to the explosion like Lucius Malfoy. Hermione's spells weren't strong enough and the last salve she had used for Luna. It was too late to save them.

Harry and Draco both cried for their lost. A friend and a father they would have to bury today close to the house of Xenophilius Lovegood. Luna ran inside to ask her father for help. They brought flowers for the new graves but couldn't ease the pain.

"Scabior!" Jade ran after the snatchers and ran from the Dark Lord's wish for revenge. He had missed Harry Potter and a chance to kill the boy. Jade didn't want to get in his way and instead she stood close to the man she had scared a few months ago. "I want to speak to Petunia Dursley"

"Bellatrix..."

"Who scares you more? Bellatrix or I?" Jade looked angry and stared at Scabior who quickly nodded. "Never be the enemy of a Salem witch. Why do you want to talk to this woman?" They used brooms to fly through the night and get to London where Scabior and his men would start looking for hints of where they had gone.

"I only want to speak the truth. You are ruled by fear and instincts but truth and solved secrets are might and my power. Whoever controls truth controls everybody" Jade watched Scabior and his men started searching while Jade casted spells to keep the neighbourhood quiet.

"Their trail is months old. If they were wizard I would say they had a secret keeper but they were muggles..." Scabior's idea brought a new grin on Jade's face. "They protected a wizard. Somebody knows and if we find the secret keeper... I can make him talk"

Xenophilius made tea for his unexpected guests. He gave Harry the key to his house and told the friends he will leave with Luna. This war was too dangerous for a man and his daughter and so he suggested Draco and his mother leave as well. Narcissa didn't say anything and Draco held her hands. "We have nowhere to go"

"What about Grimmauldplace? It belonged to the Black family and you are related to them. Harry, we won't go back there and they might be save"

Harry didn't answer Ron's suggestion and let his friend decide who explained Draco how to get to Grimmauldplace and how to enter it. Draco and his mother would be save there for some time and Bellatrix would never start looking for them there. The house was invisible to those who didn't know about it. "Some of Harry's supporters could know about it but they won't harm you if you explain them what happened. They are not like the Dark Lord and his..."

"Thank you Ron... I was too much influenced by my parents and what they believed in. I never thought about... what happens if I don't follow them... maybe Astoria is right... I'm a coward..." Draco started crying again and Ron looked helpless to Hermione.


	8. Chapter 8

8\. New plans and friends

In February the Lovegood's had left and Draco and his mother were ready to leave as well. Narcissa Malfoy still didn't speak while her son had learned how to cook and listened carefully to Hermione who explained him how to live among muggles without getting any attention.

Ron stayed meanwhile with Harry. He was close to home but never left instead he cooked tea and came up with ideas how to enter Bellatrix' vault. Of course all his ideas were pointless but at least he felt like doing something unlike Harry who sat silently by the window all day like Narcissa.

"What if they never talk again?" Ron stood in the kitchen with Hermione and Draco who sighed. "My mother never talked much. I never knew why... if she was afraid of Bellatrix or did everything my father asked her to do. I thought it's how pure-bloods... Ron, you are a pure-blood too... do your parents make you marry who they choose for you?"

"What are they doing this to you?"

"Yes... I know it for many years but now Astoria doesn't want me anymore. I... I don't know where I belong anymore. We run and not support anyone anymore... my dad is dead and... it doesn't matter who will win this war we are forever doomed" Draco wanted to leave the kitchen but Ron touched his shoulder. "You finally do the right thing and that's scary. I know this. Harry and Hermione always did the right things and I was only their stupid friend and now... now I make plans and Harry is..."

"Your plans are horrible. You can't think any of them will work" Draco smiled friendly before he took the teacups from Ron's hands and brought them to Harry and Narcissa.

Astoria had returned to school without seeing Jade again. She had quickly grabbed one of Jade's gobstones before she left for Hogwarts and kept it hidden in her pocket. Daphne should get no second chance to tell Severus Snape or any other about Jade's magic.

Less students had arrived for next term. The Great Hall seemed empty and even Draco was gone. Astoria thought it was another sign he was a coward and was now convinced she wouldn't marry him instead she wanted to be free like Jade.

"But you agree we need a plan"

"Of course we need a plan but we travel for month and all we destroyed was one necklace. We will need years to destroy everything the Dark Lord has put his soul in" Hermione started to lose hope as well when a letter arrived at Xenophilius' house. Draco took it and opened it before he read it to all of them. "It says... Quibbler to thunder. Object that's not found maybe hidden where everything is hidden. Maybe lost for centuries. End"

"What? Has Luna's father lost his mind?" Ron didn't understand anything while Hermione was still thinking about it and asked Draco to read the note again. "Ron, do you remember Dean told us he would get in contact with other supporters and they look for the soul pieces to help us?" Ron nodded but didn't understand what his friend was talking about. It was Draco who first understood Hermione and stepped closer to them. "You think... Dean has found something? And it helps you destroy the Dark Lord?"

"Yes, Harry has to destroy the pieces of the Dark Lord's soul. The problem is they are all hidden. Harry destroyed the diary. Ron destroyed the necklace. Dumbledore destroyed a ring and... one is hidden in Bellatrix' vault" Hermione counted all the pieces they already knew and Draco started helping her. "Dean knows where one is and... and Jade is something is hidden in Harry"

Draco, Hermione and Ron all looked at Harry who nodded and made his friends shiver. "It doesn't matter... doesn't matter what I do... I will never know who my real mother is... if it was Lily or Petunia... I will die"

Jade worked out a list of possible secret keepers. Friends of Harry Potter and friends of James Potter were on it. While Scabior and his snatchers worked double searching missing wizards and looking for the Dursley's Jade went to every witch and wizard on her list and started asking questions.

She knew she would eventually alarm someone and it would help her discover the mistakes the Dursley will make. No muggel could be this clever and disappear to nowhere without help of a wizard. "I will find you"

"Harry... if you give up now it was all for nothing. You said it on your birthday. So many died and we can't let it happen they all died for nothing" Hermione shook Harry's shoulders before he pushed his friend away and left the house. "I need some air"

No one followed Harry outside instead Ron asked Draco to read the note again. "Dean must use some sort of code. If we understand the code we maybe find out which object he talks about and where it is"

"It's a message that should be published in the Quibble because it's for Harry. The object is lost for a long time and is hidden somewhere where everybody hides something... but Dean isn't sure about this" Hermione frowned and Draco burned the message. "No other should read it... and I think I know what it means. Lost for centuries is a tiara that belonged to Ravenclaw and in Hogwarts is a room where everybody hides things"

"Draco, that's brilliant!"

"Ron? Are you always this easily excited?" Draco giggled and Hermione had to join him while Ron dropped his shoulders and went outside to get Harry.

It frustrated her to wait for news. Scabior wasn't as quick as she hoped for. He barely brought her anything useful and Astoria's letters couldn't distract her as well. The girl had told her about taking one of her gobstones but it was the wrong one she took.

Jade was the only one who could tell how to recognize her stones. The one she had given to Astoria herself was still in her own pocket were it wasn't useful to her at the moment. At least Rita could distract her and walked in with a bright smile. "Oh, Jade, my favorite girl. I have good news for you. I noticed you are a bit stuck with your story but I have what you are looking for"

Rita didn't fail to make Jade smile. The muggle airport Heathrow had booked the name Dursley three times. Vernon and Dudley weren't of interest to Jade but it was interesting Petunia was travelling alone.

Harry and Ron came back and watched Hermione using Xenophilius' Quibbler press to produce one last example of the Quibble with only one headline over the entire front.

YES DEAN. HIDDEN IN SCHOOL.


	9. Chapter 9

9\. Last words

Draco had finally left with his mother and it was time for Harry and his friends to leave too. They had agreed to meet Draco in London where Hermione and Draco wanted to break into Bellatrix' vault. With potions they would make Hermione look like Bellatrix' and Draco would tell her how to act like his aunt. Meanwhile Harry and Ron were going to meet Ron's brothers Fred and George and discuss options how to get into Hogwarts.

It was important they didn't lose hope or Gryffindor's sword on the way. Harry had to be focused and so Ron dragged his best friend a bit earlier to his brothers. Fred and George were surprised to see them but happy their younger brother was still alive. "Are you mad to come here? Everybody is looking for you and half of them want to kill you"

"Nice welcome. I missed you too" Ron pushed Harry forward and made sure they sat in a quiet dark corner. "We came because we need your help. Have you read the Quibbler? Dean has found something that we need to kill the Dark Lord but we have to get to Hogwarts"

"Don't worry Ron. Breaking into and out of Hogwarts is our specialarity"

Jade finally had the news she needed. In her room she packed to return home which she didn't expected to be so soon. Noises downstairs didn't matter to her until her door was opened and she was grabbed and dragged outside.

Fred and George knew a few entrances and knew that Hagrid could check them for Ron and Harry. "You don't want to try a known or closed entrance and get caught"

"Yes, you don't want to run into the new headmaster. I bet Ginny's letters never arrive home because she wants to tell us what is really going on inside Hogwarts" George laughed and was too happy in Ron's eyes. The younger Weasley when he remembered what Draco told him. "What if someone wants to return to Hogwarts, a pure-blood. If Draco writes to one of his friends inside no one will ask questions and it could distract any guards"

"Hmm... and we others go to the entrance we need. Don't think we stay when you have fun inside" Fred and George gave each other a high-five before they sent an owl to Hagrid with a coded message.

Ron didn't want to wait anymore and used the time they had to write a letter to Astoria while he pretend to be Draco... but a coward Draco.

"Let go of me!" Jade didn't like to be a hostage and when her kidnappers finally stood still and sat her on a chair she wanted to yell even louder. A cold hand on her face stopped her and Bellatrix stood right behind the Dark Lord. "That's her, my Lord. That's the Salem witch!"

"So... you are Jade..."

"Astoria, there's a letter for you" Daphne didn't bother to stand up. Astoria walked over to the desk alone and noticed it wasn't Jade's handwriting. Upset she opened the letter and was confused it was a letter from Draco.

He apologized for letting her down and being a coward. He wants to come back to Hogwarts and hopes to see her. This confused Astoria and he threw his letter into the fire.

No way she wanted to be back in this pointless arranged marriage. She was blind for so many years but since she knew Jade she thought different about it. Astoria couldn't really tell what it was but something about Jade gave her courage and this was what she didn't want to lose again.

"Why did you burn it? Did Jade say something mean?" Daphne teased her younger sister and Astoria rolled her eyes. "It was a letter from Draco. He wants to come back to school and I should help him but I won't"

"You become more like Jade every day. This is not good for you"

"Silence, Bellatrix!"

"Yes, no one wants to hear what you have to say" Jade didn't know in what danger she was. Bellatrix was in rage but stayed silent because her Lord had commanded it. Lord Voldemort walked around Jade and whispered to her ear. "You can't stand her? She feels the same about you"

"Of course she does" Jade still grinned but it wasn't as bright as in the last months. She didn't know why she was here. No one actually told her anything and she didn't see any familiar faces. No Malfoy. No Greengrass. Only Bellatrix and other supporters of Lord Voldemort who kept walking around her. "I was told you think Lily Potter isn't Harry's mother and you have made the boy cry but... did you help him escape?"

"Did Bellatrix say this about me? It was her duty to check on him. I asked him questions in front of everybody else and he didn't escape. Then she sent him to the dungeons and no one with him to keep an eye on him? How is her stupidity my fault?"

"You stupid bitch!" Bellatrix pointed her wand at Jade but Voldemort decided to punish his loyal companion. Bellatrix Lestrange sank dead to the floor before the Dark Lord addressed Jade once more. "If Lily Potter is not his mother... how could her magic have saved him?"

A letter from Hadgrid afraid one week later. Fred and George still worked on decoding it while Ron was worried what took Draco and Hermione this long. No word of them in any messages and the Daily Prophet wasn't saying anything about a break-in either.

At least Ron didn't have to hide the newspaper from Harry since Jade wasn't publishing any new articles. This as well should have alarmed him but Ron didn't take a note of it.

"We have it. It was a bit much to decode. So... Hadrig says there is a secret entrance we could use and he will help us get in. When the war is over he has something for Harry but it has to wait for now... I have no idea what he means but..." George stopped and saw somebody casting spells on the street. Ron had his deluminator ready this time and let them all disappear as soon as Draco and Hermione were with them.

"And he let you go?" Scabior was still confused when he heard what happened at Malfoy Manor. Jade was now owner of the house because the Dark Lord had given it to her. He wanted to have Petunia Dursley herself and sent a group of supporters to get her to him.

"I told you. Truth can be a very powerful weapon"


	10. Chapter 10

10\. Soul pieces

While Daphne and her friends would get their NEWT this year Astoria had to get good marks for her OWL's. She already spent time reading more books about Herbalogy to get a high mark for her best class. She had already told Professor Sprout she wanted to continue Herbalogy and the short teacher had answered she knew no reason why Astoria should not make it.

This good marks she will get a good job even she didn't know what she wanted to do one day. At least she would not wait at home for Draco who didn't show up like she had expected it. It was a bad joke.

"How did you escape?" Ron took the new salve they got from Hadgrid and rubbed Draco's shoulder. The half-giant was meanwhile taking care of Hermione but was pleased with her recovery.

"The guards and goblins were after us after we broke in. First they were not suspicious but when they noticed we had no key for the vault and my disguise was half gone we had to use our wands. On the way out they had more men and somebody screamed it was stupid to believe us because Bellatrix Lestrange is dead... and..." Hermione stopped and looked to Draco. He was still upset and made Ron stop taking care of him. "I want to help you but... my mother is the only one who is left and... if anything happens to her... then I'm alone..."

"Here. Take Hadgrid's salve and my deluminator. When the war is over I'll come and take it back" Ron showed Draco how to use the deluminator and saw him nodding slowly. "This is... thank you Ron, I wasn't expecting so much help from all of you... I will keep it safe for you"

Draco quickly kissed Ron's cheek and disappeared the next moment. Fred and George couldn't resist laughing and even Harry and Hermione giggled while Ron blushed and wanted to hide.

Jade felt untouchable in her new home. No marriage law and no Greengrass family. One gobstone in the most important rooms. The only one she would miss a bit was Astoria. The gobstone the girl had touched and kept with her was in Draco's old room which Jade redecorated as a present for Astoria. She would invited her as soon as her term was over and tell her she was always welcomed here.

Scabior often came to visit her and she wasn't surprised he came today but it surprised Jade it wasn't about Petunia. "The Dark Lord has requested we snatchers patrol around Hogwarts. He thinks Harry will soon arrive there and... where will you be?"

"No one told me to go anywhere"

"But you are with him... one of his supporters... he killed Bellatrix in your presence... You have to go and stand with him in this war. Everybody expects this" Scabior bit his lip when he saw Jade smiling. "I never do what everybody expects me too. I wanted might. I want to have everything I can possible have and I will have it. I don't care about your little war. I don't care about anyone involved in it"

"You're a monster"

"Yes, if you want to say it like this. Your little Hogwarts school is all about caring and helping each other... that's how you are trained. Salem on the other hand is different. We grow cold. We serve the greater good and this is magic in all forms" Jade's gobstone by the window glew brightly golden and gave the entire room a golden touch.

To reach the entrance to Hogwarts they had to use spells since Ron had given away his deluminator. Hadgrid stayed behind and hugged Harry before they left. "When all this is over... I have something you must see"

Harry didn't say anything and followed his friends. They had to be quick and didn't risk destroying Voldemort's soul piece until they were inside Hogwarts. Dean was waiting for them and brought a second piece which he was happy to lose. "Whatever this is it gives me this bad feeling... so, how many are left?"

"Two... but we know only one of them" Hermione swallowed hard thinking about Harry's necessary death. They would lose him which no one of them was prepared for. Harry didn't want to think about it and followed Dean to the Great Hall. If he was dead only one soul piece was left and so this was the best chance they had to attack.

Astoria and other students were shocked to see Harry. Daphne grabbed her sister and pulled her closer while Astoria wished Jade was here. While Harry spoke of war no one stood up against him. No one told him they don't wanted to be involved and were scared. Harry believed everybody would follow him and when the teachers entered they were mostly on his side.

Snape and other supporters of the Dark Lord left before McGonagall gave orders who had to fight where. Astoria, Daphne and others were sent to the dungeons and were told to let no one in.

"Ehm... Jade?" Scabior felt the tiny earthquake first and saw the change in Jade. She ran upstairs and opened a door. A gobstone by the window had lost it's golden color and was silver instead. It casted small amounts of energy and it took Jade a bit to get close to it.

"What is wrong with your stone?"

"Astoria... What did you say about Hogwarts? Is the war inside the school too?" Jade turned back to Scabior who was amused. "I thought you didn't care... of course the school will be part of it. The Dark Lord thinks Harry Potter will return to it and so we all will attack the school"

"No, Astoria... my soul piece is in there" Jade put the silver stone in her pocket and dragged Scabior out of Malfoy Manor. No time to fly to Hogwarts Jade forced Scabior to cast a spell while her own wand was at his throat. In less than a minute they were outside Hogwarts and heard the voice of the Dark Lord in their ears. "I know Harry Potter is in Hogwarts! Give him to me and I won't kill anyone. Give me Potter and this war will end!"

Every student inside Hogwarts could hear the voice but Astoria felt another pain. She took Jade's stone from her pocket and saw it had turned silver. "What is happening... Jade... if this thing could deliver a message... I wish you were here"

"Harry, he knows you are here" Hermione looked scared when Harry nodded and ran to the front door. One last time he stopped and froze. He hugged his friends and cried. "I'm sorry I was such a burden to you. Ron... Hermione... you did everything without me. Take the sword and destory the last piece... I... I will go to him..."

Ron tried to stop Harry but Hermione held his hand and knew it was time to say goodbye.


	11. Chapter 11

11\. Sacrifice

The war breaks out and spells are casted on both sides. Jade grabbed Scabior and dragged him away from supporters of Harry Potter. After she took her silver gobstone and pressed it close to her chest she started casting spells herself. "I need to get inside. Help me!"

"Going inside is madness!" Scabior didn't want to die but since he was more scared of the Salem witch then Harry's classmates he ordered his men to go forward. They reach a boat house where they ran into the Dark Lord and the dead body of Severus Snape. "Jade... you are who I need now. No one knows more about soul pieces... take Nagini... I await Potter..."

Jade quickly nodded and let the snake follow her outside. Scabior wasn't happy about their companion and stayed always three steps behind Jade who was still trying to find a way inside.

Hermione and Ron didn't know what to do next. Ron still held the sword but without the soul piece they couldn't destroy it. Around them spells were casted and friends died. Ron lost brothers and felt guilty they didn't do anything. "Let's at least find a safer place!"

"It's nowhere safe! This is war!" Hermione yelled back when she felt an earthquake beneath her feet. "This was in the dungeons!"

"Astoria, throw that thing away!" Daphne screamed but her sister didn't hear her. The walls of the dungeons had bricks and most of their friends had already left. Daphne wanted to run too but leaving Astoria behind was a huge step to do. "Give me your hand! We have to run!"

"What is going on?"

"What?" Daphne looked over her shoulders and ran the stairs upstairs to Hermione and Ron. "My sister... she is down there. Please, get her out! She doesn't listen and her stupid stone will destroy the walls. It causes these earthquakes... and it's all Jade's fault!"

The collapse of the dungeons made all of them scream. Daphne believed her sister dead and sobbed heavily. Hermione sank to her side and patted her back. She didn't know what to say and only heard the screams around her. This war killed friends and family. She looked up to Ron and took the sword from him. "Go and help your family!"

"No, we destory the soul piece! This is the only way to stop this!"

"You talk about this... Daphne?" Jade saw Astoria's sister on the ground and her eyes wandered to the entrance of the dungeons. "You stupid girl... she is not dead!"

"How... how do you..." Daphne was interrupted by Hermione who killed the snake next to Jade and spoiled blood all over Jade's legs. Jade was angry but she walked passed Hermione and dragged Scabior with her. "Astoria has one of my stones with her. My soul piece is with her and that's more important to me than a stupid snake or war. Start digging for her!"

"My sister is dead because of your gobstone!"

"No! She is alive because of my gobstone! I saw hers changing its color! She was in danger and now that I'm here too... in this war... my soul piece was sending help messages to the other stones. That's what causes these earthquakes! To push away all dangerous magic! If Astoria holds on to my gobstone it will save her and let no rock or wall come down on her. She is in... in a vacuum and we must reach it!" Jade saw Hermione and Ron help Scabior while Daphne was still frozen and accusing Jade of killing her sister. With one of her own spells Jade made sure Daphne was finally quiet while the other three lifted rock after rock and found Astoria on the ground of the dungeons.

Harry's death didn't let Voldemort feel the strength he needed to win this war. He felt weak and could also feel Jade's betrayal. Nagini was dead and the only soul piece left was the one in his chest. It was not much of the strength he once had.

Harry's corpse was the only thing that kept him and his supporters going. They brought him to the school and wanted to see Harry's supporters give in. The battle was over and his war was won. "Harry Potter is dead!"

Lord Voldemort knew no happiness and was disappointed when none of Harry's supporters knelt in front of him instead his friends stepped out of the survivers. "Harry died for us! He destroyed all soul pieces! Lord Voldemort has no might anymore! He can't win!" Hermione held Harry's sword up in the air and hundreds of wands followed her.

"Attack them! Kill them!"

"It is over, Voldemort!" Ron was the first to cast a spell and hundred of classmates follow his lead. Hermione casted one spell to let the sword fly and destroy the Dark Lord once and for all.

"Jade?"

"It's over, little girl" Jade looked at Astoria and took her gobstone from her hands. Scabior carried Daphne's sister and had watched Jade change after Hermione and Ron had left them. "You lied"

"Not yet. We take her to Malfoy Manor" Jade didn't care about the war and everybody's loss. She didn't look back at Daphne and let Scabior cast a spell to take them back to Astoria's new room. She was put on the bed and got time to recover.

Jade kissed Astoria's blonde hair which was shining golden in the glow of the gobstones once more. She was going to be okay and Jade was dealing with Scabior instead. "You called me a liar"

"Yes... you said you care for no one but that's a lie. You care for the girl... She is a bit young isn't she?" Scabior stepped out of the room before Jade dragged him outside. She closed the door behind her and didn't speak until they reached the living room. The golden light was back and Jade embraced it. "She has grown this year. She isn't naive anymore but she will have a lot of questions... I want you to leave. Bring me every information you find about Petunia Dursley. I want to finish this Harry Potter story before anyone else does"

"Still it's all about your big moment"

"That's why I came here. I never wanted a husband, Scabior. I want fame and might... now that I gave Potter's friends what they wanted they will come and thank me. It's good to know what you want... and always be on the side that's most useful" Jade looked out of the window when Scabior bowed and grinned in her back.

"Guess that makes me be on your side"


	12. Chapter 12

12\. Aftermath

One month after Hogwarts had fallen a new law made impossible for Jade to stay in England. Noble blood lost their status and high authorities. In a few months more there would be vacancies for mudbloods and muggle born. Her own blood status meant nothing anymore but Jade was surprised to hear about a new opportunity.

"And they came – here?"

Scabior nodded and grinned before he bowed and left to let Jade's guests enter the house. Draco Malfoy looked like a rat with grey skin and skinny face. His family had been one of the first to suffer from their loss of nobility. Rumors spread all over England that supporters of Lord Voldemort were leaving the country and even Jade was certain to go back.

Now the law changed she won't be forced to agree to an arranged marriage. Malfoy Manor would be taken from her since all houses of supporters were suspected to hold dark magic. Jade didn't want to see anything that belonged to her being taken from her but she didn't expect any of Potter's supporters to arrive this soon. "What do you want here?"

"You... you remember Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley?" Draco was nervous and didn't look at Jade who waited until Scabior stood next to her.

"Yes, I remember them"

"Herm... Mione wants to ask you..." Draco couldn't finish the sentence and let Hermione speak for herself. "I don't know if you know our situation but... since Harry's death everybody wants to know what we do. Wizards and friends want a recipe of what to do and how to handle the loss... Ron and I talked about it and I want to finish school"

"But Hogwarts has fallen..."

Jade looked from Hermione to Ron and nodded with a knowing smile. "You want to get away from all of them and their annoying questions. You want to have exes to a magical school and you think I can get you to Salem" Jade had thought of her school since Hermione and Ron were not the only students who had to finish their education.

Rita Seeker enjoyed Jade's article while she had breakfast. The young woman would have every chance to become a well known journalist in the wizard world. Her article told the true story of Harry Potter and the many secrets of his life.

" _Adopted by his aunt Lily Harry was raised by his father and his aunt who wanted to believe they were a happy family. We have no details yet why Petunia Evans decided to let her son be raised by his aunt. We hereby confirm Harry Potter, son of Petunia Evans and James Potter, is indeed a mudblood which might be the reason why Albus Dumbledore wanted a social higher blood status for his chosen hero._

 _It was Albus Dumbledore himself who prepared Harry Potter to accept his own death. The so called hero has always been a victim and never did any decision on his own. His tragic death saved many lives but it is unsure if there wasn't a better way to save even more and the boy himself._

 _His muggle born mother will be shortly informed and exclusively interviewed about the second time she lost her son. Therefore the Daily Prophet will accept any well wishes to the mother of Harry Potter"_

Rita Seeker had to congratulate her young journalist. Jade had been right from the start and took very precise decisions. It was sad the Daily Prophet and all it's employees had to be valued like every other business hold by magicians.

Rita already suspected new and independent newspapers soon flooded England with their emotional articles of the true hero. The Daily Prophet have had no other choice but to publish every name of the fallen ones to be the first to give information and condolense.

 _Severus Snape, Remus Lupin, Fred and Bill Weasley, Nymphadora "Tonks" Lupin, Professor Minerva McGonagall, Hadrig and Harry Potter_ himself were the names everybody was praying for.

No one mouned about Lord Voldemort or Bellatrix Lestrange. The heroes were the great loss and their deaths left many in shock unable to go back to their normal lives. Many witches and wizards were still on the run while others left on legal ways. Though they needed someone to vowed for them especially if one had not reached legal age.

Rita signed the paper for Astoria Greengrass and with her signature put Jade in charge for the girl. It was like helping a friend and return Rita would have the rights to publish Jade's interview with Petunia Dursley in the Daily Prophet which she was already excited for.

Rita's signed papers had arrived earlier today and Jade looked at them before she focused Hermione again. "I'm not a charity person. I want to know how many of you will join us. I will go back to Salem and I already arranged it for three"

"And we are three to join you"

"Hmm... why should I take Mister Malfoy junior with me?" Jade looked at Draco who tried to hide behind Ron's back. It was entertaining to see Astoria's previous husband-to-be like this. "Fine" When she stood up she walked over to Hermione and offered her hand. Hermione took the offer and they both shook hands.

"I hope you are ready to go. We will leave in two hours" Jade didn't give the young wizards much time but left them alone with Scabior. Hermione was already ready to go and had everything she needed already in her bag. While she spoke with Scabior about their journey Ron took Draco outside and let the former noble cry on his shoulder. "It's not right I leave her alone. She is all I have. She is my family. We are alone and how... how will she be okay if I leave? I have to stay with her"

"You can't stay. Remember what you wrote to me?" Ron grabbed a letter from his pocket and showed it to Draco. "You will be valued and you have no wand but the mark of Voldemort's supporters. You know the new law. Everybody with a mark will be send to prison for at least one year. Everybody knows of your mother's mark but... maybe in Salem we can get rid of this mark on you. This is your chance to be free"

"And... don't you think it's wrong? My mom won't survive prison and... what about your family?" Draco was still crying when Ron grabbed both his shoulders and shook him. "Everybody in my family is mourning my brothers and Harry. It's like I don't exist anymore... and after all the time on the run with Harry and Hermione... Listen, Hermione is my family now. She is my best friend and when she says we need our final degrees and time to start a new life then I do it. And you come with us. You helped us, Draco. We won't forget this and now you need our help... Start a new life, Draco"

He rubbed tears from his eyes and nodded before he awkwardly hugged Ron. "Thank you, Ron... for everything"

Astoria looked at the scene beneath her window but turned around when she heard Jade's voice. "We leave today. You will be a very special Salem student and you know, whenever you need help with anything I will never be far"

"I dreamed of your school and I'm happy I go to Salem but... I will be alone there. No friends, no sister, no you..." Astoria picked her gobstone and let it drop in her bag which she picked up and walked closer to Jade.

"In a few years you'll have everything"


	13. Chapter 13

13\. Months apart

The book was released in April. Jade made a lot of money with it and no one could take her place as head journalist of the American Daily Prophet. Working close and in daily correspondation with the Daily Prophet in London Jade was highly respected and at the same time hated for her articles.

Truth was indeed might and no one wanted to be the subject of her next article which Astoria read every day. She studied very hard and was accepted by other students of her age while Ron, Draco and Hermione were mostly on their own and had not made any new friends.

Astoria had stopped paying attention to them even she could still feel Draco's eyes on her. "Why is she doing such a great job here and I'm afraid of the final exams next month?"

"Maybe Jade prepared her..." Ron had a terrible headache trying to focus on the book he was reading. Draco sat next to him while they waited for Hermione to bring even more books. Their friend wanted to read every book in the library to be the best of their upcoming finals.

"You need a rest... we could go to town and you clear your head" Draco touched Ron's shoulder and saw him shaking his head. "We never learned these things and I will fail"

"You are smart, you won't fail. Come, Ron, just for an hour..." Draco smiled friendly and made Ron sighed. They left the reading hall and went to the front gate. Their names were signed and both had to give their gobstone to the gate keeper. It felt like breathing was much easier as soon as they stepped outside and walked away from the witch house.

To the muggles the school of magic was an old black house they used as a museum to remember the witch trials. On Halloween the town had been crowded but only wizards knew how to enter the secret entrance. It needed a gobstone to reveal the magical door to the invisible school on the large backyard and underneath the town.

"Finally we see the light again. The school days are so dark. In Hogwarts I slept in a dungeon and here we study in dungeons. We go mad inside" Draco took a deep breath while Ron nodded. "It's only three months and we are free again. Will you go and see your mother?"

"Look, what have we here?"

A muggle and his friends were coming closer and pushed Draco into Ron's arms. "Coming from the witch house... hey cocksuckers, what were you doing in there? Hail Satan?"

Neither of them wanted to get in trouble and Ron held Draco's hand while they walked away.

Astoria had was the only student in her class with only two gobstones. One for her first year in Salem and one she had from Jade. The Salem kids didn't trust the Hogwarts students who usually only had one stone but with Astoria they were different. Jade's gobstone was a sign to Astoria's classmates she had knowledge of the school and someone who vouched for her.

No one ever tried to offend Astoria instead some girls had become close to her. Kendra was her best friend at Salem school and was as fascinated by Jade's gobstone as Astoria was herself. "So, I talked to our headgirl and guess what. Gobstone magic is not only the best magic in the world it's so powerful it's forbidden on every other school. I know you can control others by using their stones and I heard the heardgirl saying some girls from the sixth class wanted to control you by your pretty gobstone but... they didn't because you are already controlled and they don't want to mess with Jade the journalist"

"Jade doesn't control me"

"Yes, Astoria, the color says it. She controls not only your mind... she controls your heart and soul" Kendra grinned pointing at the golden stone. "Tell me what did you dream about last night?"

The last part of their walk they ran once they were out of sight. The muggles didn't follow them and Ron and Draco went to a cafe to drink something. Muggle money was sold by a magic spell they performed with their wands.

After awhile Draco cleared his throat and thanked Ron. "In Hogwarts I never thought you have to get me out of trouble and during the last year you have done this very often... Thank you, Ron. Without you I..."

"Don't worry. The last year changed all of us like you changed and I changed..."

"Yes... I changed a lot... and... what I think and believe... changed too..." Draco didn't look at Ron who started laughing. "And you are always nervous. The great Draco Malfoy is struggling with words since we appeared in your garden" Ron almost dropped his cup when Draco stood up and walked away. Ron quickly followed him and tried to apologize. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to upset you"

"You don't understand!"

"Whoa, calm down. You don't have to scream. What is wrong?" Ron was confused even more when Draco held his hand again and came closer. His lips kissed Ron's and both boys started blushing.

"Do you understand now?"

"You think she... no, I don't believe this" Astoria grabbed Jade's golden present and didn't want to believe their friendship was only Jade's control of Astoria's soul. "She saved my life. She told me I took a piece of her soul with me instead of this stone because I can't seperate them and... that's how she found me and her soul piece protected me. She doesn't need to control me"

"You believe her more than me? But we are friends, Astoria"

"I believe Jade more than anyone" Astoria grabbed her wand with her other hand and pointed it at Kendra who nodded quickly but looked worried. "I see... she has a great might over you. You know the Salem witches who were burned in this town believed they get away with everything... they played with the souls they trapped in gobstones and... they even killed them"

"Jade is not like that!"

"Yes... I do"

Jade didn't have to hear the words. Scabiors report was detailled to the last bit and had caught her attention. So, Astoria's former husband-to-be had found himself someone new. His choice was not one Jade had expected since Draco came from a noble family and choosing Ron didn't get him back anything he lost.

Draco was obviously helpless and choosing Ron was a weak decision but one that might be useful to Jade. "Did anyone else saw them?"

"I didn't see anyone. Will you ask your girl on more information?" Scabior set on the couch and rushed over the pages of today's Daily Prophet. He stopped when he read Jade's article about the woman he had found for her ealier this year. "Petunia Dursley is dead?"


	14. Chapter 14

14\. Secrets

Draco and Ron returned to school holding hands and went back to Hermione to study. They held hands under the table and Hermione didn't notice anything. Her books and final exams were more important to her than anything else. "We have to give back the stones next week but some students can earn them back if they are the best of their class"

"And why do you want one of these stones?"

"Jade saved a life with them and what she writes... I'm better than her" Hermione didn't take any break from reading her books. Ron and Draco knew it was best not to ask too many questions when they were suddenly interrupted. "Are you a couple?" Astoria stood behind Draco and in her hand was Jade's shiny gobstone. It's magic glow was shining through her fist and gave it a golden shine.

"We..."

"Why do you ask us these questions? I know the London Daily Prophet suspects..." Hermione was cut off when Astoria shook her head and looked from Ron to Draco. The blonde boy blushed while the red haired was nervous and bit his lip. "We... Hermione, it's..."

"WHAT?"

Jade didn't attend Petunia Dursley's funeral instead she went with Scabior to the woman's house and saw no pictures of her family. Only of picture was on the wall. It was the one Jade had given Petunia months ago. "She didn't go back to her husband" Scabior searched cupboards but didn't find anything interesting.

"No, she had quit this life to be with her real son but... it was too late" Jade didn't feel any sympathy for Petunia. Harry's mother had died unnoticed if Jade had never told her story. There were still unanswered questions but the young witch didn't want to give up. "Let's find her bedroom and then we get out of here"

"Ron!" Hermione was screaming and everybody saw she was angry. She stared her best friend before she stood up and slapped Draco. "That's what you did? You take him away? Why did we even help you? You are nothing! You don't belong to us! And now you took him but he is not yours!"

"Hermione, please..." Ron tried to speak calm until he felt Draco's hand leaving him. His boyfriend wanted to cry again and it broke his heart to see Draco like this. His hand grabbed Draco's hand and he didn't care about Hermione seeing them. "This is new for me too, okay? I really like him and he helped us when he was scared"

"He is always scared! And remember how he treated you in Hogwarts!"

"I changed..." Draco's voice was weak like him. Ron had to drag him away and didn't want to listen to Hermione. He felt strange since Draco had kissed him but he liked his friend and it was not like with Harry. Draco was different and he wasn't the same anymore. Draco had become someone who was worth his friendship, protection and more...

Hermione sank back on the seat and was crying. Astoria watched her but didn't step closer. Her stone was still glowing and her eyes turned to it. At least Draco knew it was real while Astoria only hoped her friendship with Jade was more than a spell.

"Are you still the smartest witch of your generation?"

"What? Why do you... why don't you leave me alone?" Hermione wanted to slap the girl too but she didn't try. Hermione nodded and let Astoria take the seat next to her. Once the girl had opened her hand her stone was glowing less. The golden shine was not reaching out anymore but it was still beautiful. Hermione liked to look at it and a small smile came to her lips. "I'm impressed what Jade and you did with the stones... she saved your life, she found you and could watch you... know you are still alive"

"My friend Kendra thinks it's more... what if Jade put my soul in this stone? What if she controls me? I don't want to believe it... I trust her more than anyone. But I know she can be scary... the other students and everybody who reads her book and the Daily Prophet..."

Hermione nodded and turned back to grab a book from the table. "I read something about it and I think there is a way to find out but... I need help with this. Ron won't trust me now and... I think it's not wise to do it in this school. I feel like we run around with the gobstones they gave us... I think they are watching us"

"Why didn't you stick with her? She is your best friend and you have been through much more with her than... I'm a coward and an idiot, Ron. Without you I would be lost..." Draco rubbed the last tear away while Ron still held his other hand. He was very quiet but he didn't look away from Draco. "I don't want you to lose your best friend because of me"

"Stop" Ron's word was sharpe and made the other stop talking. "Draco... I don't know what I feel... your kiss was... it was unexpected but not unwanted. You mean as much to me as Hermione and maybe... maybe more..."

"You are more to me... more than only friends..." Draco's cheeks were red and he tried to look away but Ron stopped his chin to move. He leaned slowly forward and kissed the nervous boy.

"We need someone you... you want to take control of?" Astoria thought about it and nodded. She was sure Hermione won't harm anyone. She was known to be a brave and clever witch and now she wanted to help Astoria. "Will you need me to make Draco meet you alone outside the school or do you have a muggle in mind?"

"I want to believe something is not right with Ron and Draco but we should test our theory with a muggle or... who is that man that is always so close to Jade?"

Petunia's bedroom was on the first floor. It had no decorations like the rest of the tiny house. Harry's mother must have spent all her money to get away from her family. Jade walked around while Scabior searched under the bed and found something. "What have we here?"

He took the small blue box with flowers on it from beneath the bed and showed it to Jade. A child had written something on it which made Jade smile.

 _My secrets_

"Well, Petunia... let's see what else you have hidden all these years" Jade grinned and opened the small box where she found a baby picture of Harry, letters and an old diary of Petunia Evans.


	15. Chapter 15

15\. Hermione's spell

Scabior was surprised about Astoria's letter and wanted to show it to Jade but the witch had locked herself in her room reading every word Petunia has written. Scabior had not chance to get in touch with her and decided to trust Astoria. Jade had cared for the girl before and to upset Jade wasn't wise.

The snatcher was invited to meet Astoria away from the market. An old abandoned church was their meeting place. During the Witch Trails this had been their court and never been used again. No muggle in Salem ever wanted to get close to witches again. They didn't trust them and hated them. Every book and fairytales about magic was forbidden in this town and Hermione felt sorry for the muggles and witches in Salem. She hid in the room of the priest and held a gobstone and her wand ready to bewitch Scabior.

When he walked through the door he didn't see anyone but Astoria and grinned at her when he walked closer. "What a surprise... and why do you want to see me?"

"I... I have to know the truth" Astoria used her own wand to freeze Scabior and gave Hermione time to leave her hiding place. "We need your soul but we will give it back when we are sure"

"Do you want to go to town?" Ron sat next to Draco who watched his stone. He was surprised by Ron's words and didn't answer right away. It took a moment before his confusion lifted and brought a smile to his face. "We have to give them back and..."

"Yes, this is our last chance to go out again. We only have until tonight" Ron stood up and took Draco's hand. He wanted to use this chance and clear his head before the next weeks were all about their final exams.

"I... I thought about England and... Ron, when this is over... We go back, won't we? Take jobs in the magical world and..." Draco followed Ron to the front gate and both gave their gobstones before heading out of the witch house museum and into the muggle town.

"I think it's saver if we stay a few years away from home... just to be sure no one starts looking for you"

"What did they do?"

A group of boys had seen Scabior following two girls inside the abandoned church. Their leader went to the window and the rest of the boys followed him. They saw the girls holding wooden sticks and the man fell backwards to the ground.

Looking at each other their eyes snapped back to the church and the girls when a flash of golden light filled the hall inside. "Witches" All four of them were thinking the same and started running.

"Okay, I think the spell worked. Now I own a part of his soul... this feels wrong and too powerful" Hermione didn't feel well but didn't put her stone away. It was a power in her hand with a golden shine. She took a deep breath before she looked to Astoria. "What should I make him do?"

"I don't know... maybe we start with something small like... tell him to give you his wand. We won't attack us if he doesn't have it anymore" Astoria could take the wand easily away from Scabior but instead she watched Hermione ordering Scabior to do it. His eyes opened and he did as he was asked too.

"This was simple... okay, we want to know if it controls minds and heart, so... Scabior, kiss Astoria" Hermione watched Scabior getting up while the young witch looked disgusted and pointed her wand at the snatcher. "NO! Don't tell him that! I won't kiss him!"

"We don't find out how it works if we don't test it"

"Tell him to kiss you!" Astoria walked backwards away from Scabior who was coming closer to her. She heard Hermione sighed and felt relief when Scabior turned around to the witch with the gobstone of his soul. "Okay... kiss me..."

Both girls watched Scabior walking towards Hermione and pulled her close to kiss her. The small gobstone fell to the ground but didn't break. Its shine was brighter than before and Astoria picked it up with a grin on her face. "It looks like it worked... oh... Hermione?..." A headache hit her like the sharpe end of a knife. Astoria felt a pain in every bone and sank to the floor.

When Scabior did the same in Hermione's arms she knew something went wrong. "Astoria!"

Draco and Ron saw many muggles running around. They were all heading to the market place and voice were shouting. A police car stopped in front of the witch house museum and two police men with guns dragged everybody outside.

"What is going on?" Ron still held Draco's hand and pulled his boyfriend closer. Whatever was happening they won't be separated. Following the main group they walked closer to the market. The muggle major and more police men were speaking to the citizens of Salem and the two wizards heard their warnings.

"The witches are back in Salem"

"We should go back" Draco whispered and Ron knew his friend would start crying if this town started a war on witches like it had happened centuries ago. One of their classmates must have casted a spell and a muggle or a group of them had seen it.

"Draco, look" The group of boys who had laughed about them leaving the witch house together was interviewed by someone with a microphone. Ron wanted to run back to the school but first they had to be out of sight or they risked to cause attention on them. Against his instinct Ron walked closer to the group of boys and tried to listen to them.

"We saw them going in the abandoned church"

"There was this light and a man was... he was dead. The girls, the witches... They killed him!"

"Let us go" Draco whispered again and pulled on Ron's arm. The short blonde looked back over his shoulder and saw a police car. "Oh no... they blocked the way"

"We go to the church" Ron whispered too and told Draco to walk slowly. They had to leave the muggles and once they were two corners away they finally started running. The church wasn't far away and the door wasn't locked. Every muggle could walk in but the only people inside where Hermione and an unconcious Astoria and Scabior.

"Hermione! What happened? Some boys have seen you used magic and now the whole town is scared" Ron let go of Draco and rushed to Hermione's side. She was shaking and cried over Scabior's body. "I don't know what went wrong. I did everything the book said and... I can't wake them up"

"They saw you... what if they come back?" Draco touched Astoria's wrist and took her pulse. "She is still alive. Can we bring her back to school?"

"We have to" Ron picked up Scabior and carried him on his shoulders. Draco carried Astoria while Hermione made sure the way was clear.


	16. Chapter 16

16\. Wake up

Ron and the other 7th grade students had given back their gobstones and had their first final exams. It was different than in Hogwarts. As soon as the finals began lines of fire separated each student from one another. Unable to see the other students everyone was on his own.

After Herbology exam Hermione didn't feel well. She had studied hard and each day to be as good and better as her Salem classmates but she kept thinking of Astoria and Scabior who laid still unconcious in the ambulance floor. It was a round room and Jade sat by Astoria's side holding her young friend's hand. "Hermione will pay for this... What was she thinking? You could have died, Astoria... now wake up, please wake up"

Astoria's eyes remained close while Jade discussed next steps with the nurse. Since Jade had taken care of Astoria she was legally bound to the girl and responsible for every following decision.

Ron and Draco sat with Hermione in Salem's Great Hall. It was build like a court and their headmaster announced news of the situation in town. The muggles were prepared for battle. Everyone was scared and no student was allowed to leave the school to make sure they stayed alive. "Miss Hermione Granger has performed a spell of great knowledge and it's not her fault those muggles are still afraid of what they don't understand. But we are strong. We never left Salem. And we never will"

Every student around them clapped hands to applaude their headmaster. Ron was relieved no one blamed Hermione but he knew she did so herself.

"Let us go and see them" Ron asked Hermione to move but all the young bright witch did was shaking her head. "Jade has forbidden I go and see them. She is in charge of Astoria's life and I can't do anything. If... If only I hadn't cast this spell. It's my fault she almost died... and Scabior... Ron, I could have killed him"

"Miss Granger?"

Ron, Hermione and Draco turned to the nurse who asked them to follow her. Hermione held Ron's hand and didn't want to be alone. She ignored Draco's presence and noticed the nurse was not taking them to Astoria and Scabior. The older woman left them by a door which was soon opened from inside.

"Please come inside, Miss Granger" The herbology teacher Professor Madison asked them to come inside. It wasn't his classroom they were welcomed to. No one of the three Hogwarts students had ever seen or heard of this room. On the walls were the names of all burned Salem witches and beneath every golden signature was a gobstone which had belonged to this witch.

"This is my study room. It's given to every herbology teacher and no one of us is allowed to change it. It's a museum, a library and our future. I register every name of gobstone witches. Witches and wizards who have a strong mind and are not afraid to break the rules of magic. You, Miss Granger, are now one of these witches" Professor Madison showed Hermione a book in which her names was written beneath Jade's.

"Jade is a gobstone witch?"

"Yes, of course she is. While she was a student here it was very popular to cheat and use the gobstones to manipulate others. Two offsprings of gobstone witches felt it was their duty to become as legendary as their mothers but it was Jade who earned herself this title. See... I know in Hogwarts you learn to be honest and wise but... it doesn't prepare you for the world. See how muggles fear us! In Salem we have to prepare our young students and that's why we are different from other schools. We want our students to explore themselves. Their power, their fears and make their own rules" Professor Madison lifted a cloak from her desk and showed the three of them a bowl filled with gray gobstones and a smaller bowl with red stones. In the middle laid one golden stone on the desk and Hermione had seen it before. "You must know a lot about gobstones"

"Of course, Miss Granger. See, these gray stones are soulfree gobstones. After every year I free them of the souls of our students who leave us. These stones will be given to our new first class students next summer" Professor Madison pointed first at the bowl with gray stones and next he turned to the red stones. "These are earned gobstones. Each year the best 7th grade student of each subject is honored with a red stone and has access to use gobstone magic in their life. But only gobstone witches leave the school with a golden stone"

"But Jade has seven" Draco pressed his lips together and felt stupid for opening his mouth.

"Yes, Jade has seven. A gobstone witch can turn every usual gobstone to a golden stone which has a soul inside" Professor Madison put the cloak back on his desk and moved the three students back to the door when Hermione stopped him. "How did Jade become a gobstone witch?"

"It was very impressive. She put a spell on all students of her grade. Everyone had to follow her and the spell you performed she did twice but never on an adult and not on a soul that was already taken. This... this is the reason why Miss Greengrass and her friend have little chance to survive" Professor Madison looked upset and Ron started asking questions. "Why? What went wrong with the spell? Is there nothing you can do?"

"Miss Granger used a stone that had a soul inside. Now Miss Greengrass and her friend's soul are both trapped in one stone. The souls are both fighting inside the stone and only one can survive but... this didn't happen often before. I try to find a way but... their time is running out... Miss Granger you will have the gobstone with the soul that survived when you leave Salem in two months. I can't do more for you"

Jade sat by Astoria's side again and stroke her blonde hair from her cheek. "You have to wake up. I never had a friend... wake up, Astoria..."

"Controlling her mind doesn't make her your friend" Hermione, Ron and Draco had run to the ambulance floor after they talked to Professor Madison. Hermione held her wand when Jade pointed her own at her. "You wanted to kill her!"

"NO! We... She wanted to know the truth! She wanted to know if you control her!" Hermione screamed at Jade who lowered her wand. "Why are you here? I said I don't allow it..."

"I feel guilty... I want to help them" Hermione stepped closer and begged Jade to listen to her. The older girl sighed and listen to everything Hermione said. She spoke of everything Professor Madison had told her when Jade looked suddenly back at her. "There is something we could do..."

"What?" Draco and Ron stepped closer too when they noticed a young girl behind the curtains. Kendra didn't want to spy on them and looked scared. "Please... help her..."

"The Grimoire" - "The what?" Hermione watched Jade who nodded to Kendra before she said something Hermione had never heard of. The Grimoire was the book of witches. Every Salem witch of the famous trial had one of these books. The legend said all books were burned but one was rescued. "The muggles keep it somewhere in case the witches come back... It must be somewhere in the city in a house that is old and never changed since the trials. It's not in the school and hundred years ago the church was searched for it but they found nothing... but if we find the Grimoire there must be a spell. The Salem witches used gobstone magic. They knew everything about it... they were the founders of this school"

"How old is the city hall? Muggles keep important documents close to authority and keep it a secret to the rest" Hermione's life with muggles was very useful to Jade. She nodded and decided to go. Hermione wanted to join her while Kendra stayed with Astoria. Ron and Draco were separated and while Draco stayed with Kendra Ron left with Hermione and Jade and broke the rule.

Author's note: to the guest who commented on misspelling Rita's last name: I'm very sorry about the mistake. Since I only read the books in German I sometimes misspell original names.

\+ to JeanAndBilius: Thank you for your comments!


	17. Chapter 17

17\. Grimoire

"Last year this time we lost Harry... I don't want to lose you too" Ron whispered while he followed Jade. Hermione looked to her best friend and took his hand. "We get out of this alive. It's you and me now..."

"No... me and Draco and me and you... why can't it be all of us?" Ron didn't noticed Jade had stopped and ran into her. She looked at him with her dark eyes and pressed the tip of her wand to his chest. "Stop talking. We don't want any attention on us. We need this book and if anybody tries to kill you I won't help you"

"Nice" Ron was pushed for his sarcasm. He didn't trust Jade but he could see Hermione was following her. His friend still felt guilty and only with Jade's help they had a chance to help Astoria and the snatcher. Ron didn't really cared for them but during the battle he had seen many people died. He had lost two brothers himself and followed Jade and his friend because he didn't want more people to die.

The war was over and they should be save.

Draco looked over to Astoria while he sat next to Scabior. "It's not fair" His hands felt cold and he leaned back in his chair when Kendra turned to him. "What is it?"

"They fought in the battle... they weren't cowards like me... they shouldn't die" Draco felt his tears coming again. He cried so often since his father's death and he realized just now he hadn't spoken about it to anyone. Ron had always been there for him but he couldn't ask the boy who saved him to understand the pain and feel sorry for one of Voldemort's supporters.

"We don't know much about this battle... the Hogwarts battle... Last year our headmaster decided whatever is going on in your country... it has nothing to do with us" Kendra took a deep breath before she turned back to Astoria and touched her hand. "And she fought?"

"Ron told me Jade saved her life. Astoria had mistakenly taken Jade's gobstone with Jade's soul in it and Jade's soul saved her when she was buried under rocks in the dungeons of Hogwarts... many died... I'm sure Salem could have helped or send help. Students aren't warriors..." Draco thought about walking over to Astoria's bed when Kendra screamed in surprise. "Jade's soul did this? But... can't Jade's soul help her now?"

The city hall was at the market place. The muggles had come together and their words written and screamed reminded Jade of the illustrations of the witch hunt. She heard muggles saying to bring witches down and Jade wanted to cast spells at all of them. "No. We have to put our wands away" Hermione took Jade's wand and next Ron's to hide them in her bag. The muggle-born led the three of them closer to the city hall. She had to keep her head down in case anyone of the boys who had seen her in the church regcognized her in the crowd.

"How do we get in?" Ron whispered and often looked back over his shoulder. He was sure it wasn't safe to walk among hateful muggles who could light a fire anytime soon.

Jade asked him to be silent again while Hermione asked a police man if they could write they banners inside since it was difficult to write while the crowd was chanting. After the police man nodded and let them pass Hermione, Jade and Ron quickly went inside and left the main hall as soon as possible.

"We're lucky our new school has no school uniform" Ron put up his hands to make sure Jade knew he was only joking and wouldn't slap him again. When she turned back to Hermione they all got their wands back and casted a spell to make sure they weren't seen by anyone.

"Famous books are either in the major's office, archives or a museum floor" Hermione explained to the other two where they should start looking. Ron left to start looking for any kind of museum while Hermione went to the archives which were most likely in the cellar.

Jade ran upstairs and found the major's office in the second floor. It was a large white painted room. Two desks were inside. One small one with a phone and many papers and a larger one. It was old and dark and its drawers were heavy. Jade opened them one after another but found mostly papers and more documents.

In the last drawer was a box. It was made of steel and locked. The lock was old but Jade had no key. She didn't think about it and used her wand to open the box. The black book was inside and she took the last Grimoire with a smile on her face.

Draco noticed it first that Astoria had stopped breathing. He called the nurse who shook her head. "She is still alive but I fear it's not for long. You should say goodbye to her"

Kendra started crying and hugged Draco who was surprised by her action. He didn't know if he could say anything to make her feel better. He was helpless and his own tears rolled over his cheeks.

"Did you found it?" Ron had already returned to the main hall after he didn't find any museum. He saw Jade coming back but no sign of Hermione. "Where is Hermione? We can't leave without her"

"I don't care about your friend. I need to save Astoria" Jade wanted to run but Ron held her and made her wait until Hermione joined them. The wands and the Grimoire were put back in Hermione's back before they sneaked out and went back to the witch house. A group of muggles was already there and surrounded it.

"We have to use magic to get passed them" Jade ordered Hermione to give them back their wands and all three of them casted spells to knock the small group of muggles out. They ran back to school and to the ambulance floor. Jade's smile faded when she saw Draco and the girl named Kendra crying beside Astoria's bed. Her eyes turned to Scabior next who woke up this moment and frowned. "What happened?"

"NO! Give me the book!"

"Jade... it's... it's too late" Hermione was shaking but Jade didn't want to give up just yet. She took the bag from the younger witch and grabbed the Grimoire. It's wasn't a large book and if she found the right page in time she could still save Astoria.

Page after page was filled with knowledge and spells of gobstone magic and soul possession. Then Jade finally found the page about double souled stones. She quickly read through it before the took something from her own pocket and put a golden gobstone on Astoria's chest. Jade tipped on it with her wand and waited.

"What is she doing?" Ron stood beside Draco and held his boyfriend's hand when the golden shine left the gobstone and sank into Astoria's chest. A moment later she opened her eyes and was breathing again. "Jade" Her first word was the name of her friend and she smiled seeing her next to her. "I'm sorry. I should have trusted you. You... you had my soul, didn't you? But you never did anything to control me, did you?"

"You ask too many questions. You need to rest... and I have to study this book" Jade left with the Grimoire and left many of the others behind unlike Hermione who followed the dark haired witch.


	18. Chapter 18

18\. Gobstone magic

The gobstone witches were allowed to study in a special room where no one was allowed to speak to them. Hermione and Jade were completely on their own reading the Grimoire and keep their own thoughts to themselves.

Hermione had many questions but Jade had made it clear she didn't want to talk. The book was more important to her while Hermione was a no one to her. No student of Salem she was just an ordinary witch to the other who pushed the book away from her and sighed. "This book doesn't help at all. Astoria could have died because you were stupid and jealous your boyfriend dumped you"

"No, it's not like that" Hermione tried to defend herself but again Jade wasn't listening at all. Her own opinion was the only one that mattered to her. Astoria was safe and still her friend while Scabior's soul belonged to Hermione from now on. "You kept my servant... and almost killed both"

"Servant? Why do you call him your servant?" The word made Hermione angry but she didn't even try to discuss humanity and freedom with the stubborn other. "We should rather talk about this book and how we stop the muggles from attacking us"

"This is your fault too" Jade's words hurt Hermione and she wanted to cry but no tear left her eyes instead her stone was glowing in her pocket. While she was still looking at the bright colour Jade was already grinning. "You can't control your emotions anymore. This happens if you use gobstone magic. You lose control of yourself which you shouldn't"

"Yes, yes, because it's all my fault" Hermione grabbed the small black book herself and started reading while she hoped she wouldn't have to talk to Jade any longer.

Ron and Draco were walking inside the school building. No one was allowed to go out. Only teachers, gobstone witches and Astoria had a gobstone while every other student had to give back every single one they got during their school years. Wands were taken away as well to make sure no student was breaking the rules.

For their own protection every wizard had to stay inside. They spent their days quiet while Astoria and Scabior slowly recovered. Astoria was the first to leave and return to Ron and Draco who welcomed the young girl. "How do you feel?"

"It was a strange feeling. I didn't feel like myself anymore. I had so many thoughts in my mind and... I have to talk to Jade. Do you know where she is?" Astoria looked around but couldn't see her friend. For a moment she was upset but hoped Ron and Draco could help her until the two of them brought her down again. "We're sorry but no one is allowed to see them. The teachers try to keep us quiet but I think they are worried about what's going on outside the school"

"Muggles are on patrol every day. They are armed and they don't look like they want to make friends" Draco looked scared and held Ron's hand while Astoria shook her head. "They can never win"

No witches in Salem!  
Free us from magic!  
We don't want you!

Jade stood by the window and saw some of the banners of the muggles. They had never learned the story of what had happened because they didn't want to believe the truth. It must be written in the Grimoire but reading it was difficult.

Maybe the bright witch could read it and tell Jade what she wanted to know. She didn't like or trusted Hermione but when the younger witch looked up from the book Jade had no other choice. "What? Are the muggles distracting you?"

"No, I... I was expecting something different. There is no spell to undo the gobstone magic but some of the pages have this shimmer on them. What is this? I've never seen an old book looking like that. Could it be a spell?" Hermione showed Jade the pages who took one of her gobstones and moved it over the pages. The words changed and let the witches see more spells for gobstone magic.  
Jade sat down with the book once more and kept to herself like a treasure while Hermione waited. Both of them stayed quiet until Jade leaned forward and moved the book over the table. "That's the undoing spell. Do you want to use it for Scabior or do you want him to be yours?"

"I don't want to own anyone. Jade... just tell me if Ron's soul is in one piece. It's because of him I did this spell in the first place. He is my best friend and now... it doesn't feel right he is with Draco" Hermione didn't touch the Grimoire and watched Jade grinning. "I'm not the right person to ask. I don't believe in love or anything. To love someone you have to trust the other completely and you can never trust anyone like that"

"That's not true" Hermione disagreed with Jade and finally touched the book again reading how to let Scabior go.

It was already evening when it got loud outside. The crowd of muggles seem to be larger than days before. They walked the streets and lighted fire which worried some of the students trying to see what was going on outside. None of them saw much but heard and saw the expression on their teachers' faces.

"What is going on outside?" Astoria wanted to know why the school was suddenly getting loud too. Draco and Ron followed her and found Kendra getting closer to the front door. "Kendra, why is everyone excited?"

"I think all are worried. One teacher said we should get ready and prepared to be sent home earlier this year. They are scared the muggles burn down all houses connected to the Salem trials. A fire could break the spell and bring down our school" Kendra was shaking and Ron put a hand on her shoulder. "We will be safe. The muggles can't do this"

"But muggles are stupid" Astoria and Draco both didn't trust muggles and made Ron sigh. "You don't even know about muggles. You just believe what your parents told you and we all know you can't trust what your parents told you"

Astoria and Draco both stayed silent when a scream broke their silence. Light was coming from the front door and teachers forced students to move back to the hall. Ron only saw a glimpse of the fire but pulled Draco backwards. "Let's find Hermione... and Jade"

"You have to..." Jade was interrupted when voices came from outside and someone knocked on the door. It was annoying until Hermione grabbed her arm and showed her the shine of fire climbing the walls. "We should go somewhere safe. Where could we go to?"

Hermione didn't know the school as well was Jade and let her lead the way. Outside the room they were joined by Ron, Draco, Astoria and Kendra running towards the hospital floor to get to Scabior the fastest way before starting to worry about what was going on.


	19. Chapter 19

19\. School on fire

While the teachers tried to fight the fire on the ground Jade and the others reached the hospital floor. Scabior had just dressed and looked confused at the many wizards to come looking for him. He wanted to protest but was given no chance. The ladies mainly Jade and Hermione told him to move and his feet started walking without knowing where to go.

Draco held Ron's hand tight while they followed Jade down the hall and three stairs up to a door. It was looked but using two gobstones and her wand Jade opened it and led the group into the office of Salem's director. "Quickly. Grab your wands and we get out of here"

"Jade, we have to help. We can't leave everybody in this fire" Hermione stood by Jade and took her wand from Ron's hands who had taken all their wands. With only one left he closed the door magically and sighed. "Hermione, no one of us can control fire. We need to help the others to get out and maybe we can stop the muggles from burning the school from outside"

"Ron, is right. They don't even know this is a school. The muggles burn this house because they think it's a museum from the witch trials" Draco's words were cut off when Jade moved her wands and made all of them be silent for one moment. The witch had to think and looked from Astoria to Scabior and back. The girl looked at her like she was waiting for an answer and Jade felt like she was in charge.

Hermione and the others were visitors but Salem was Jade's school. Seven years she had studied here with friends and servants. She never believed anyone to be equal and now could be her moment to prove it. "Fine. Hermione and Scabior, you go back downstairs and help the students to leave Salem on safe path. Draco and Ron, you will distract the muggles and lead them away from this building. Astoria, you take this gobstone and go with Kendra to the front door. Get as close to the fire as possible but don't get burned. When the stone changes it colour throw it in the fire and run away as quickly as possible"

"And what about you?" Astoria looked worried but Jade didn't answer her. She was already running the back entrance herself to leave the school and get to a safe place.

Hermione and Scabior helped the teachers of Salem to lead every student through another exit out of the school. Three teachers led the students in small groups to the train station where they should take the next way home.

Hermione watched Jade, Draco and Ron leave the school as well and had no idea what Jade had planned to do. She hoped it was something that actually helped Salem and its students. Hermione felt guilty she had been caught and looked at Scabior. "I'm sorry... this is all my fault. I shouldn't have used this magic and... I find a way you get your soul back"

"My soul?"

"I took a part of your soul. It's in here" Hermione showed him a gobstone and sighed. "Or I think it was in here. I don't know what exactly happened. Jade knows more about it but now is not the right time"

"You have my soul? Why? What do you want with it?" Scabior was confused but looked away when he heard a scream. Kendra had stepped too close to the fire and her clothes were burning. He couldn't move to help her until Hermione ran first. They pulled Kendra down on the floor and stopped the fire only to see Kendra run away in fear.

"Okay, how do we do this?" Ron watched the group of muggles and tried to think of a plan to distract them but his boyfriend was faster. Draco simply stepped out of Ron's back and pretend to giggle about something Ron said. While the red haired still looked bewildered his blonde boyfriend said very special words which were just a bit too loud. "I love you, Ron"

"Oh, look... it's the gay couple again. Haven't we told you how disgusting you are? I bet homosexuality is a curse. Yes, the witches cursed you" The muggles stepped closer and Ron got angry at their words. He wanted to cast a real spell at them but instead he took Draco's hand and started running.

Not far outside Salem was an old tree. The ash was one of the oldest of its kind which was unknown to the muggles living close to it. Under the tree Jade put all her gobstones in one line. One after another turned golden before Jade light a fire like the muggles. It was burning the stones and crawling up the tree and died out a moment afterwards. Almost all stones were still golden apart from one which had turned to black.

Astoria saw the change of the gobstone she held in her hand and threw it into the fire just like Jade had told her to. The fire got bigger and Hermione pulled the girl away. They were the last in school but now it was time to leave. The door closed behind them and suddenly it was cold.

"What did you do?"

"I did what Jade told me to do. I don't know what the gobstone will do but from here we won't see it" Astoria suggested to go to the other side of the school which slowly disappeared in front of their eyes. Only the muggle museum part remained when they reached the front door and saw the fire was gone.

Hermione's hand ran over the cold walls which had no signs of any fire and was impressed. "Whatever Jade did... it worked. Now! Let's go and find her and the others"

Ron and Draco hid in a side street and waited until the muggles were gone. Ron's heart was beating faster while he still held Draco's hand and started whispering after awhile. "Are you okay?"

Draco didn't answer his question. The boy simply nodded and his hand was shaking. Ron could tell his boyfriend was scared and he must have been earlier when he stood alone against the group of muggles. They were chasing him and must have reminded Draco one moment of what had happened in Hogwarts. During the battle he had tried to be brave too. Draco was brave in the moment it was necessary but he wasn't brave all times.

"It's over. We are safe and whatever Jade's plan was it worked because you distracted the muggles. I'm sorry they scared you. They... they made me angry when they said we are cursed. I know it's not true. We are no disease or a curse. I... I like you aren't arrogant anymore. You showed me you true self and I'm proud to know you like this"

"Ron, please... I'm a wizard who is scared of muggles" Draco was ashamed of himself and nothing Ron said made it any better. These muggles were different from anything he ever heard of them and made him wish he had never come to Salem.

"They scared me too. These muggles are not like... they hate us and they would kill us. But I promised I save you and I will" Ron made sure the road was clear and led Draco back towards the school until they ran into Hermione, Scabior and Astoria. "What happened?"

"It worked. I don't know how but the fire is gone and now we have to find Jade. Have you seen her?" Hermione looked at Draco and Ron. This time she didn't think of why Ron was with Draco but instead she wanted to be save. Her friends were in danger because she didn't trust Ron's feelings and felt guilty.

Jade shouldn't be the next to suffer. She was alone and had no one in this moment. Wherever she was she had to be found before any muggle was with her. The Salem witches of old times had been burned and no one wanted to see anything like this happens to Jade.


	20. Chapter 20

20\. Ash Tree

Hermione and the rest of the group had no idea where to start looking for Jade. The bright witch wanted to start at places they had already been too with Jade while Ron suggested using Astoria's gobstone. It was Draco who finally said they first had to get out of town to make sure the villagers won't come after them again.

It was suspicious their group was discussion on the street while several buildings in town were on fire. The teachers of Salem had taken all students to safety and Hermione agreed. They shouldn't be the last ones to remain. She felt guilty and not like a hero who fought muggles for the freedom of witches.

Hermione had fought in one war before like the rest of her friends. They stayed on the smaller side streets and made it out of town. No muggle was seen anywhere and just a few houses where around seperated from the main village.

Slowly the group moved on until they saw a muggle leaving his house and walking closer to them. The young man didn't look scared and waved his arm to signal them to come closer. Ron was the first to step closer and held his wand ready to aim.

"Are you her friends?"

"Who are you talking about?" Ron expected a scream for help or anything else to alarm the rest of the village but instead the muggle lead the group into his house and to a room on the first floor. "I found her. She is weak and I thought maybe she was in the fire. Her hand looks burned"

Astoria opened the door and ran to Jade's side. Her gobstones laid on the small table next to the bed and the young witch took one after another. "Thank you for helping us"

"Oh, I... I like witches. I wasn't sure but... the rest of the village don't come to visit this house anymore. My father has declared me a... some kind of traitor because I didn't want to burn the old houses. You know, my father is the Major. He has gone mad. The whole village has gone mad. Can't you... go back in time or change their minds?"

"We don't do this" Hermione stepped behind Astoria and Scabior followed her. The young girl held Jade's hand and cried when she see it was burned. "What happened to her?"

"Oh... I don't know. I found her under the ash tree and when I wanted to take her here she said I shouldn't leave the stones. They don't look special to me but they mean a lot to her. I don't know why" The muggle left and after some time he came back with drinks and a first aid kit. "Is anybody else of you injured?"

"No, we are okay" Ron and Draco stood at the other side of Jade's bed and accepted to drink something from the Major's son. "Why does your father hate witches?"

"Oh, my father liked them because it's the witches that bring tourists to Salem but he said they stole something and then he changed. He got very angry about it. He said they must have been hiding in Salem all the time. I was so excited because I always believed you exist"

"But your father hates you now..." Draco looked upset thinking about his dead father and his mother who didn't believe in anything anymore.

"He doesn't hate me. I think he doesn't want me to get in trouble. The village is going insane and attack everybody. If I go outside they maybe burn me too. I hope they don't bring down the ash tree. It's the last one we have. In the major's office is an old drawing of the landscape and there were many ash trees... I think the villagers used the wood to burn the witches"

The group listened and Hermione remembered the Grimoire. It had to be the thing the major was missing. Jade must still have it and Hermione started looking for it. It wasn't in her hands and neither in any pocket. She turned around to the major's son and wasn't sure they could trust him. "Where is her book?"

"Oh, I put it in the first drawer. I thought my father comes home... well, the stones don't look magical but the book is definitely about magic. I didn't want him to see it" He went to the little cupboard next to Jade's bed and took the book from the first drawer and hand it over to Hermione. "Will you do magic now? Can I please stay and see it?"

The group decided against the muggle who left the room and closed the door. Hermione looked at the pages of the Grimoire and found one page was a little bit burned. She used a gobstone on the page and froze. "No... no, she didn't..."

"What?"

"Hermione, what did Jade do?" Ron noticed how scared Astoria was and he suspected the girl would take the book from his best friend any moment soon.

Hermione then dropped the book herself and started crying. "She gave up a part of her soul to save us. She let one of her gobstones die to save the school. The stone will never be used for another soul part and her part... the part of her soul is forever gone"

The group stayed silent and watched Jade.

The witch hadn't tried to run away and only save herself. She saved them all and Ron sank down on his knees. "It's the second time her gobstone magic saves someone. In Hogwarts she saved Astoria and now she saved an entire school"

Two hours later Jade woke up and had a terrible headache. Astoria was still by her side and held her hand. The young witch was smiling bright and happy. "You are awake again. Hermione thought you died but I knew that's not true. She isn't like you. She doesn't believe in the gobstone magic but... Jade, you lost a part of your soul"

"Not so fast, Astoria" The words of her younger friend hurt her head even more while she tried to remember what happened. "I did a ritual I found in the book. I saved the school, yes... but where are we?"

"We are in the house of the major. The major's son found you and helped you. What do we do now? Do we fight the muggles or do we go back? We could go home, Jade... and I stay with you"

"You can go wherever you want. It wasn't just my soul part. I... I set you free. I have no might over you anymore. I killed my soul part so yours is back with you. You can go and leave me" Jade looked away from Astoria who didn't understand what her friend just told her. Her soul was complete again but knowing this hurt her instead of making her happy. The young witch crawled closer to Jade and hugged her friend. "I was your friend before you saved a piece of my soul. You saved me from the spell Hermione did and now I'm free... but I'm still your friend and... it hurts I'm no longer part of you... Jade, can't you do the spell again?"

"No... I can never take any piece of soul anymore. My soul was in parts but always with me. Now one part is gone and my magic is... it's smaller now"

"And what if I try it?" Astoria's head rested on Jade's chest. Her words got no answer from her friend who simply hugged her back and kissed her hair.


	21. Chapter 21

21\. Servants

The major's son was called Chris and managed to keep the witches hidden and save from his father. The major himself wasn't much at home the last week which made it easier for Chris. He cooked for the group and tried to get them anything they needed.

Before Jade and the others could go anywhere they wanted to be sure Jade was feeling better and well enough to travel. A few of the friends already thought about leaving but on the other hand they all knew there was a time they students had to return and who would protect them from the hate of the muggles? Should they just believe the problem solved itself?

Hermione sat in the kitchen with Scabior. He kept looking at Jade's little stones and the book Hermione was reading. The stones he had seen before but why should the witch put a piece of his soul inside it. "So, now I have to do everything you want? Like I'm your slave?"

"No, I will let your soul free like Jade did it. I have to burn it but first I have to find the ritual how to do it" Hermione kept reading the Grimoire but Scabior took it from him. "And what then? Jade cares for Astoria and used the soul thing to save her. You... you did it why? I'm nothing to you, witch"

"I'm sorry. I wanted to know more about a theory I had but now I know I was wrong" She tried to grab the book from his hands when he started laughing. "The great Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of her age is sorry? And she was wrong? You surprise me. I thought you are all clever and stubborn like Jade and never really fell"

"Do you think this of Jade? After what she did? I thought you are friends"

"Jade has no friends. Jade has servants and Astoria. She doesn't do things without thinking of what somebody else could do for her" Scabior had a smile on his face but it vanished when Hermione slapped him for his answer. "She saves us, you stupid idiot!"

Hermione left with the Grimoire and Jade's gobstones to return to the witches room. She saw Jade had just left her bed which was a good sign. The young Salem witch had recovered and wanted the things back which belonged to her.

"I'm proud I know you. Even we don't think the same about many things I know you saved us and your school" Hermione gave the Grimoire and Jade's stones back who didn't say anything to answer Hermione's words. Jade wasn't touch and knew she had been a hero which wasn't her favourite title. She left her room after one week of recovery and saw Scabior bow to her. "Good to see you again. We just talked about you"

"Yes, because you didn't value Jade's heroic act"

"I'm not a hero. Stop saying this" Jade was grumpy and her mood didn't got better when Draco and Ron joined them with Chris. "Oh, you are back on your feet. That's good. You are a witch and you are the most powerful of them all"

"See, this muggle knows how to call me" Jade's words made Astoria giggle but she stopped when Jade looked at her. "What do we do now? Do we stay or do we go? We are only six and can't stop all these muggles alone, can we?"

"Seven! I want to help you" Chris was excited and clapped his hands. He was more happy about this situation than the witches and wizards. He thought of this moment like an adventure and made plans himself which the group didn't accept.

"You can't help us. You are a muggle, Chris. You get yourself in danger and we have another problem. Your father will blame us if anything happens to you" Ron stayed the obvious and his friends agreed. It was too dangerous for Chris to help them. Chris had to be kept out of this and wasn't happy about this.

"We have to do something. We all agree to this" Jade put the Grimoire on the table and looked from one to the next of her little group. "If we do this you all have to do what I tell you. No arguing and no one runs away. After Hogwarts we can't also lose Salem. Witches have to be proud and to be better we have to learn how"

"Maybe we shouldn't call ourselves better than them" Hermione protested but was silent when Jade looked at her with anger. Jade had what she wanted. She was in control and her younger friend Astoria protected Jade's gobstones with her wand while the older one explained her plan. "The muggles won't listen to us. We have to use our magic to make them back off. We have to show them only a few of us can already bring a whole city down"

"You want to scare them? Threat them? Do you really think this is a good plan, Jade?" Ron wasn't pleased with Jade's idea and thought what Harry would have done. "We have to find a peaceful way"

"We can't talk to them. You know what they did just because they think it was a witch house many centuries ago. Not all are weak like Chris" Jade didn't care about the muggles and Chris didn't try to change her view until Hermione tried to come up with an idea herself. "What if Chris talks to them in our behalf? In London muggles in important positions like the minister know about magic and are regularly informed. What if we do this here?"

"And risk they burn this house and Chris with us?" Scabior didn't like any of the plans while Astoria asked for Jade's Grimoire and started reading it. "Maybe the Salem witches had an idea how to get out of town alive but then they were stopped before they could act"

"Yes..."

All eyes went back to Jade who sighed before she explained what she read before. "They had wanted to use all their gobstones together and create a peaceful Salem but we can't do this"

"Why not?" Draco's question was very quiet but made the rest nod who wanted to hear the whole plan of the Salem witches. "They... they wanted to control the town with gobstone magic. They had chosen who to take souls from and get this way in control of Salem. With just a piece of everybody they had enough power to make the rest follow and in time they should learn magic is no threat... but this town never learned anything; and we don't have many gobstone magic"

"You can't perform the spell anymore because you gave Astoria free. But... I could... and maybe the others try too. Chris finds us the main speakers and we calm the city again"

"This can't work, Hermione. If someone who is not a gobstone witch tries to use this magic it's dangerous for them. The only one who could do it is... you and maybe Astoria because her soul part was given back and maybe, only maybe, it came to her with just enough magic from me... but this is a risk I don't want her to take and you can't do it alone" Jade didn't accept any plan but her own while Hermione looked from Astoria to Scabior. "Do you feel like being controlled? Does it hurt?"

"No"

"We never feel anything and... Jade, I want to try it. This could be our only chance to save the school for future generations and I'm sure whatever happens to me I know you are still there for me" Astoria hugged her older friend and felt how Jade kissed her hair. The gobstone witch was giving in and they had to act soon.


	22. Chapter 22

22\. Jade's girl

Astoria slept the night in Jade's bed and fell asleep reading her friend's Grimoire. Jade had watched her all night and found it cute the girl still trusted her. She never had believed in friendship but Astoria changed her view. She stood up for Jade and never betrayed her. She did what Jade wanted from her even without her soul been taken.

"Do you have any advice for me?"

"Don't get yourself killed" Jade left the bed and put her Grimoire and gobstones in Astoria's bag. "And I will come with you. This magic is not made for everybody and you never used it. I don't want you do get injured or dying because you can't control what Hermione wants you to do"

"Jade, I'm sure I know what I'm doing. I'm not afraid of the magic because you saved me twice using gobstone magic. It's a good magic and I feel a bit sad we don't have each others pieces anymore. I felt close to you when I knew you had a piece of me" Astoria pulled her knees closer and watched Jade sit down next to her. Her hand touched Astoria's face and the witch even smiled. "I watched you and knew you are not afraid. You are my only friend, Astoria. I always controlled everybody to make sure they are loyal but... you never made me feel you don't trust me. Not even now. You are the only one I care about"

"I will never leave you" Astoria held Jade's hand and smiled with her friend. "I care only about you too. I will do the spell with Hermione but I believe you are the better witch. I'm sorry you can't do the magic with us"

"I will be with you. We fight side by side" Jade and Astoria both promised each other to look out for each other and fight.

In another room Draco and Ron held hands too. They were already up for two hours when Hermione knocked on the door. She didn't look as confident as she used to be and faulted her hands. "Ron, can we talk?"

"I have no secrets from Draco. You can talk to him" Ron heard Hermione sighed and made sure Draco didn't leave for the sake of her and his boyfriend's friendships with his best friend. Instead both boys watched her coming closer and sighed again. "I came to apologize to you. It wasn't fair to think are under a spell. You care for Draco and he obviously cares for you. I... I felt alone when you was with him"

"You are not alone. I'm still your friend and one day you find love too" Ron hugged Hermione while Draco smiled. "Until then you still have Scabior"

"Thank you, Draco, I had hoped to forget his soul part is always mine because otherwise we can't help Salem" Hermione left to find the snatcher who was studying a map of Salem in the kitchen. Chris had marked important places and personalities.

Now it was Scabior's job to figure out the shortest ways from one to another and which of them was going where. Hermione interrupted him and made him look up at her. "What do you want? You already have my soul, what else could you want?"

"Stop this. I'm sorry about this but I can't change it. If I give you back your soul I can't be a gobstone witch and Astoria can't do this spell alone. All I can do is promise I won't make you do anything you don't want to" Hermione was getting angry and ignored Scabior was grinning and walking around the table. "I was just joking, Hermione. I don't care if you boss me around. Many people did before you and I still look up to Jade. I'm not a powerful wizard myself and so I stay around them. Guess, now I have to stay around you forever; better get used to it"

"You... you are not even angry with me?"

"No, why should I? Of course I didn't want to get killed when your spell didn't work properly but now I don't see why it shold be a problem for me. I will get saved by you and have to be loyal to a great witch. I see only good for me" Hermione was confused by Scabior's honesty. All the past weeks she had thought he hated her for doing the spell and now he proved her wrong. Scabior even enjoyed the fact to be serving her and didn't think of himself as being a slave.

Scabior's opinion on his situation gave her new hope. Maybe it wasn't so bad what they would do to some of the muggles. It was for a greater good and this made her smile a little too. "Thank you, Scabior"

Another hour later all of them were meeting in the kitchen and talked their plan through for one last time. Astoria would take one half of town and stay with Jade, Draco and Ron while Hermione would go with Scabior and Chris.

While Astoria's group left earlier Hermione's group waiting at the house after Chris called his father. The major should be the first to be taken his soul from and help to persuade the rest of the village. When he came home he was alone and Chris led him to his office where Hermione pointed her wand at him.

Scabior grabbed the major by his shoulders and stood behind him to make sure the man won't escape and warn others. Hermione's spell made him quiet and acting politely. He hugged his son and even congratulated Chris who blushed. "Hermione, thank you so much. My father hasn't been like this for years. I can barely remember how he showed his love for me or told me that he's proud but look at him now... you made him a better man again"

Hermione was glad to see Chris happy and let him take his father back to city hall while she herself left with Scabior to follow the map and stick to the plan.

Jade and Astoria led the boys to the west end of the town. Chris had given them the names of a lawyer and a baker who both had a lot of influence talking to many citizens of Salem every day. First one on their list was the lawyer and Astoria got a bit scared when they entered his house.

The young witch suddenly didn't feel like she could do it but with Jade by her side she kept walking and searched every toom for the lawyer. It turned out the man wasn't even at home and the friends quickly left to try all over again at the baker.

At the bakery Draco sealed the door behind them to make sure they weren't interupted and Jade put all her gobstones on the counter while Ron and Astoria walked on into the kitchen. The man himself stood by the large oven and wanted to strike against the witches but wasn't fast enough. Astoria's spell hit his chest and let the man sink to the ground. He moved a bit in pain before hi soul part left his bod alone and turned into one of the gobstones.

"Yes, I did it! Did you see me?" Astoria was excited and hugged Jade tighter this time. With the Grimoire in her hands she followed Jade outside while Draco and Ron took care of the unconcious baker.


	23. Chapter 23

23\. Showdown

On their way to city hall Jade and Astoria took soul parts of a teacher, a secretary and a supermarket owner. Draco and Ron followed them to collect each of those people and brought them to city hall. On the way their victims had talked and spoke differently of witches and their influences on Salem.

Neither of them was scared anymore and was friendly to the all their neighbours and other muggles. The four witches and wizards made their way through the crowd which got quieter. They still had to find the lawyer before he ruined the plan.

Hermione had taken soul parts of the major, a doctor and a nurse who talked too much and spread rumours according to Chris. She still wasn't happy about what she was doing but she looked into smiling faces which made her feel less guilty.

"We are ready to go. It will take us a bit to get to city hall. We have the longer way" Scabior looked at his map and wanted to leave the hospital. Hermione's magic worked better with these people than her spell had worked on himself and he didn't trust the situation now it seemed too easy to be done. "Don't you worry why it works with them but I almost died?"

"I used the wrong gobstone. Astoria's soul was already within but now I have others" When he grabbed into her pocket she showed them a couple of stones and smiled. "I took them when the fire started. I wasn't sure if we come back and I'm pretty sure nowhere else I get these stones to examine them"

"You are not happy if you don't now everything, do you?"

"That's what makes me the brightest witch" Hermione smiled more but it vanished when Scabior took her hand and started running. "Let's go, bright Hermione. We see how your magic works and then we get out of here"

The lawyer was holding a speech in front of the main crowd. Speaking of revenge and Salem's future he spoke like a racist and made all of the four angry. Jade tried to get closer to him to give Astoria a better chance to cast the spell but it wasn't easy.

The muggles in the front were chanting and scared Draco and Astoria. They both hide behind their friends until Ron noticed someone. "Hey, is that Scabior?"

Hermione and Scabior couldn't see their friends in the crowd. Chris didn't see anyone either but didn't seem worried at all. "We have to go to city hall and make my father talk to the crowd. Your friends must be here somewhere because the baker talks to a group of people over there. Our plan begins to work"

"Chris, how shall we get to city hall? We can't walk through the crowd. If anyone notices me..." Hermione swallowed hard but Chris still didn't worry about their situation. "I take you to the back entrance. If we replace the lawyer with my father he can talk to this mob"

"I take the lawyer" Scabior grinned and grabbed Hermione's hand to follow Chris walking around the market place. They all stayed on side streets to stay out of sight and opened the back door with the major's key.

Hermione knew some of the corridors and led the tiny group to the front entrance where Scabior stopped her before she stepped too close and could be seen by anyone. With a grin on his face he kissed her hand and disappeared, quickly running outside and whispering something to the lawyer.

It was the moment Ron noticed him and at first didn't believe it when the lawyer nodded and cleared his throat. "Ladies and gentlemen! Our major has returned and wants to speak to us!"

All eyes were focus on the front door to see the elderly man stepping outside and listen to the applause of his citizens. "Ladies and gentlemen! I have come with news and I ask you to listen carefully. I know we are all afraid of the witches and their magic. They used their magic in Salem the past months and we have no weapon against them. But my son, Chris, has spoken to the new witches! He has told me they won't hurt us"

Screams from the crowd and an angry lawyer interrupted the major. The situation could come out both ways and Jade looked at Astoria who hugged her friend tight and was scared at the screams. Not all citizens followed the major's change and no one wanted to listen to Chris when his father suggested it.

Muggles don't just believe.

Muggles want prove.

Muggles want to be in control – just like Jade herself.

She had always thought to be a gobstone witch forever and control everyone who was in her way. Now she cared for someone and saw Ron did the same for Draco and Scabior went back inside to stand close to Hermione. They all had someone to protect and Jade didn't want to lose control and run.

She stepped out of the crowd and raised her wand. "People of Salem! Listen! Chris has spoken to us and we will leave Salem! We will leave today! I, Jade, promise this and give my wand to the major. I can't do magic without my wand and I won't come back. Salem is safe!"

For once the crowd was silent and watched Jade giving her wand to the major. She waved her hand and soon Scabior and Hermione stepped outside. They all took each other by the hand and walked away from city hall. No muggle stepped in front of them instead they moved away and let the witches pass.

A great part of the crowd followed to the edge of town to see the witches truly left Salem. At the ash tree Hermione and Scabior put down their wands too when their friends joined them. None of them looked back but Draco whispered. "And what now?"

"What about the school?"

"Don't worry, Astoria, the muggles believe we are gone and I will write to the headmaster. I'm sure he has a way to bring the students in safely and unseen. The main part of the school was invisible to the muggles and I'm sure students can be too" Jade looked straight forward and didn't stop walking while she held both on to Astoria and Hermione. "You did it again. A hero in the last moment"

"Don't call me that. I'm not a hero" Jade still didn't like to be called a hero and rolled her eyes while the rest of the group started smiling and felt a relief they left once more. Somewhere they are not known and no one special.

A place no one spoke of Harry and Hogwarts or gobstone witches and Salem. Jade led the way and all was fine.


	24. Chapter 24

24\. Years after

Jade never learned to give up control. The group lived many years together in the same street in America before one of them got the offer to be headmaster of Hogwarts. Draco was confused to be the one who got this honour while his friends seemed more suitable to him.

In the end he accepted to be closer to Ron's and his family and for his first change he chose his boyfriend to be a teacher. Ron had always been good flying brooms when he was younger and loved to teach the first grade students.

Every week he wrote a letter to Hermione and his other friends and was excited when a familiar name showed up on the new students list seven years ago.

Harry Chris Granger

"I still don't know why we didn't send him to Salem. What makes Hogwarts a better school for him?" Jade never learned t calm and crossed her arms before her chest. Her luggage was packed like muggles did it but mostly it had been Astoria's doing.

Her girlfriend was the only one to calm her if she wanted to but most times she let Jade be since no one was scared of the witch neither was offended by anything she said. Even Hermione had gotten used to Jade's stubborn nature and was now her best friend. "Hogwarts was home to most of us and even we live and work among muggles now I don't trust the muggles in Salem. Jade... it's Harry's final year and we agreed to pick him up when his train arrives in London"

"I don't know why they had to rebuild the school and make Draco headmaster. What qualifies him?" Jade had talked about this topic a thousand times. If she had children of her own she had never chosen Hogwarts for them, but Harry Chris Granger was the son of Hermione and Scabior.

Born one year after what happened in Salem Harry was named after Harry Potter and the major's son Chris. Hermione chose their names to honour lost friends but teased Jade that she would have named her daughter Jade, a true hero, but Hermione never had a girl.

Harry Chris Granger was the only child of the friends and all were his aunts and uncles. He was stubborn like Jade. Loyal like Astoria. Clever like his mother but could be ruthless like his father if anyone wanted to take what belonged to him. Harry was also deeply caring like Draco and friendly like Ron.

All his uncles and aunts were proud of him and Ron often wrote about the clever things Harry did in school. He would miss seeing the boy every day but for Harry it was time to go home and live in America again. For this Draco made sure the boy's graduation papers looked like he attended one of London's colleges.

Harry held those in his hands when he left the train and started looking for his family. He earlier had say goodbye to Ron and Draco and smiled when he saw his father. He waved his hand before he made it through the crowd and hugged his mother and afterwards his aunt Jade. "It's so good to be back with you. Seven years of Hogwarts are over and I finally come home"

"I always said Salem would have been better for you but no one cared about it" Jade crossed her arms once more and made Harry laugh. "Oh, Jade. I missed you. At Hogwarts there was no one like you and it's a shame no one talks about you. It's all aboout Harry Potter and other dead people"

"Has no one of your classmates read my book?" Jade frowned and cheered up her friends around her before Hermione dragged her son to follow her. "Come, we are late. We booked into a little hotel and Draco and Ron will arrive in a few hours and stay for a week. It will be nice to see them again because we didn't see them every day"

"I saw Ron every day but not Draco. I didn't drink tea with them every day a week. Uncle Ron just wanted to be sure I'm okay and... you know this was sometimes embarrassing" Harry had learned to get used to all of his uncle's and aunt's behaviours but he didn't stop showing Jade was his favourite.

The next day Ron and Draco arrived in the afternoon and were happy to see their friends after a long time. They spoke about the new school and working with muggles. Hermione had become a primary school teacher and Scabior was a waiter at a local restaurant where he worked with Astoria. Jade's girlfriend had started as a waitress too but was nowadays restaurant manager.

Jade was the only friend living in America and still working for the wizard world. She was Rita Seeker's American correspondent and weekly was in contact with her boss at the Daily Prophet and the headmaster of Salem. The headmaster had informed her about the latest situation with the muggles.

Chris was the new major and missed to talk to witches but still believed in them. The school was invisible and so was a secret passage to keep all students safe. No one was allowed to leave the school during term and the headmaster didn't stop requesting Jade's Grimoire.

Jade never gave her black magical book away and studied it with Astoria and Hermione until they would know all its secrets. Even no one of the friends living in America practised magic anymore the girls were still fascinated and fell asleep in the light of their golden gobstones.

"Did you ever want to write a second book?" Harry sat down with Jade and was a moment alone with her. "You should write about what happened in Salem and a guide how to live with muggles. Or how Hermione Granger lives with a snatcher..."

"No, Harry" Jade looked at her friends and had a soft smile on her lips. "They are my friends. When I wrote the book about Harry Potter's mother I had no one. I was alone with my gobstones and my wish to control everybody... I don't need this anymore and I don't want to write anything that has to do with the life I live. Some things you have to protect, Harry... and you will meet somebody one day who is worth it"

"Like you met Astoria?"

"We all met someone who we want to protect. Ron protects Draco. Scabior protects Hermione and... Astoria and I... we protect each other" Jade saw Astoria walked over to them and on her younger friend's lips was the same smile. "What are you two up to?"

"Nothing. All is well" Jade took Astoria's hand in hers and felt her girlfriend leaning her head against Jade's shoulder. And all was well.

THE END


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